Ganesh Nimmajanam ceremony in Andhra Pradesh: Mixing religion with politics

An elephantine effort marked the end of the 12-day worship of the elephant God Ganesh in Hyderabad on September 13. Nearly half the city poured into the streets to take part in the "Ganesh Nimmajanam" ceremony when several thousand multi-coloured idols, ranging in height from a few centimetres to six metres, and in weight from a few hundred grammes to 12 tonnes were taken in reverent procession for immersion in the shimmering waters of the Hussain Sagar lake.In wave after celebrating wave, the cavalcade passed by on foot or in trucks, tractors, bullock-carts and push carts, as enthusiastic groups of onlookers, mostly women and children, showered marigold and rose petals on the spectacle that took more than three hours to pass a point on the 12 km route.All along the way lighting standards were festooned with saffron flags stamped with Om and plantain leaves, and a posse of armed police and saffron-capped volunteers stood by to complete what one onlooker described as "the greatest show of Hindu solidarity".The organised and orderly procession revealed the meticulous nature of the planning. Its organisers, the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) arranged for information desks at every 100 metres, with public address systems to inform onlookers of who was passing by at the moment. Volunteers, shops and hotels along the route distributed water and in some cases tamarind rice to all who asked for it.Though belief has it that Ganesh uses a mouse for his steed, the procession had him ride on peacocks, the fabled Garuda, in an elephant's belly, and even a tank and an aircraft.As the bands played, crackers exploded and the massed devout cried themselves hoarse with: "Ganesh Maharaj ki jai". The carnival atmosphere was slightly spoiled by the occasional slogans of "Go hatya band karo" (Ban cow slaughter), "Hindu rashtra bachao" (Save the Hindu state), and Hindu ekta zindabad, (Long live Hindu unity), which smacked of communal and political overtones.Great Enthusiasm: Paradoxically, the origins of the massive festival are rooted in the problems faced by the Government and police in allowing a Moharrum procession in 1979. The then chief minister Channa Reddy and the police placated militant Hindu leaders in the Old City area by giving them permission to take out a Ganesh procession.Ganesh (top) and onlookers (above): Mixing religion and politicsThe Government's immediate concern was to ensure peace when the Moharrum procession passed by under curfew. Hence from last year the Ganesh procession and festivities are being celebrated with such eclat that Bombay's traditional splendour pales in contrast.Expectedly, the Arya Samaj which has organised religious processions during Holi and Dussera for the last 50 years in Hyderabad has been joined by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh.The chief architect of the Ganesh festival is the veteran Arya Samaj leader Vandemataram Ramachandra Rao. Says he: "For the first time there were problems in bringing together such a huge procession. Some of these have been overcome though frankly speaking we were apprehensive of trouble following the July flare-up. So, we drew up a 1,000-strong volunteer force from several organisations to help the procession to move smoothly. This is a religious procession, though it is yet to take that shape fully. The intention is to organise the celebration as an all-party, non-party effort."However, the intentions of all the members of the BGUS, who include local leaders of the BJP, select Congress(I) men and rich traders besides the representatives of the Arya Samaj, are not as plain.Some BJP and Congress(I) leaders have funded the purchase and installation of idols besides organising music and dance programmes every evening as part of the festivities, in an obvious attempt to make political capital out of the rejoicing.Hyderabad BJP leader A. Narendra accuses Congress(I) leaders, including a minister, of having tried to entice some local utsav samithis away from the September 13 procession by offering money. Says he: "They took out processions on other days flouting religious practice in order to build political support in view of the coming corporation elections. But with the massive turnout for our procession the chances of a Congress(I) rout in the elections are bright."Heavy Guard: Following the July carnage the prevailing tensions in the Old City are a matter of serious concern for the Government. When passionate speeches with communal overtones became a daily feature during the Ganesh festivities, Chief Minister T. Anjiah even threatened to cancel the procession.Anjiah addressing the crowd: Adding his power to his gloryThough the men who supplied most of the flowers and the trucks for transporting the idols were Muslims, the Government viewed it as "a communally sensitive" procession. Officials held several rounds of meetings to decide steps to prevent any violence. On the day before the procession Anjiah inspected the arrangements by driving around the city.About 125 platoons of the Andhra Pradesh Special Police, Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force, all available officers of the rank of deputy superintendent of police and below attached to various police offices in the city, joined the regular city police force sporting steel helmets and pistols to make it a heavily guarded event.Inevitably, with several official facilities given for the procession, Anjiah seized the opportunity to play his party tune. Addressing the processionists at Moazzam Jahi Market, one of the assembly points en route to Hussain Sagar, he referred to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and was promptly heckled.Similarly when one of his publicity crazy ministers, Sarojini Pulla Reddy, chanted 'Jai Hind, Jai Indira' she was immediately booed. Other ministers and Congress(I) leaders tried to draw attention to themselves at different points on the procession route. Anjiah assured the idol makers in a bid for sympathy: "The Government will help improve your lot by setting up a co-operative."Though the organisers were peeved at this, BJP leaders were more or less satisfied with the effort: they felt they had managed to gain public sympathy and support without waving their flag but by showing their organisational capabilities. Enthused by the response the BGUS is already planning the Ganesh festivities for next year.Narendra says bigger Ganesh idols, one for each locality, helps "bring about greater unity in the community". Ramachandra Rao feels that "such a religious procession must be purposeful and help to instill discipline. It would be more orderly like some kind of route march". With such militant enthusiasm in the air, it is very likely that Ganesh will ride in more sumptuous glory next year.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 30, 2013 08:20 IST--- ENDS ---

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Ganesh Nimmajanam ceremony in Andhra Pradesh: Mixing religion with politics

An elephantine effort marked the end of the 12-day worship of the elephant God Ganesh in Hyderabad on September 13.

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