Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations have kicked off in full swing across Karnataka, including Bengaluru, the coastal region, and both north and south Karnataka. This year’s festivities are particularly fervent as the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic cast a pall over previous celebrations. In South Karnataka, people gathered early in the morning to worship ant-hills as part of the Nag Panchami festival, which coincides with Ganesh Chaturthi.
In a heartwarming gesture, the Muslim community in Belagavi decided to postpone the Eid-Milad procession to October 1 to avoid a logistical clash with the Ganesh festival, which has been celebrated for 119 years in the city. Both communities will participate in each other’s festivals, fostering interfaith harmony in the region.
The festivities have also prompted heightened security measures in areas like Shivamogga, where large Ganesh idols attract massive processions and communal clashes have occurred in the past.