The grand old Ganesh Puja Mahotsav at Kadma has turned 101 year old this year. Organised by Sree Bala Ganapati Vilas, the 17-day mahotsav will start from September 2. Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Saryu Roy, Minister Food and Civil Supplies are expected to participate in it.
The organisers informed that, their prime concern is a safe Puja, which was started way back in 1919. The biggest Ganesh Utsav of the city is talk of the town this season. The famous Ganesh utsav organised by Shree Bala Ganpati Vilas in Kadma will turn 101 year old this month.
Going down the memory lane, Y K Sharma, functionary, Sree Bala Ganpati Vilas, Kadma said that Ganesh Utsav has a rich past. In 1893, Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the festival that has now become more of a social festival.
Prior to this, Ganesh Chaturthi was restricted to a family puja. The pandal based on golden temple of Sripuram has been made. The district police have also made tight security arrangements for the smooth running of the fair with security personnel being deployed in adequate number and policemen in plain clothes keeping an eye on the visitors. Moreover 12 CCTV cameras have also been installed. The Ganesh puja of Kadma is one of the oldest and most revered pujas in the State.
Every year large numbers of devotees visit the place and seek blessings from lord Ganesha. Priests from Andhra Pradesh would perform the religious ceremonies. The puja organisers a team of volunteers have been trained, which will be deployed at the strategic locations to help and guide the devotees. Members of the puja committee stressed that their priority was to ensure a safe and grand Ganesh Puja that draws a huge crowd.
Though the idol is immersed after 10 days, the fair at the maidan continues for another week. Like every year large numbers of devotees visited the place and sought blessings from lord Ganesha.
Priests from Andhra Pradesh performed the religious ceremonies. “We look forward to the puja every year. I work in Mumbai and make sure that I am here ever year during this time. I find Kadma Ganesh Puja a great way to meet people of my culture,” said Neha Shinde, a resident of Sonaril.
The Ganesh puja of Kadma is one of the oldest and most revered pujas in the State. It was actually started way back in 1919 at Ramdas Bhatta. Later, it was shifted to Bistupur, followed by Jamshedpur High School grounds in Dhatkidih. Lord Ganesh found a permanent venue at Kadma grounds from 1950.
