Vijayawada's 72-Foot Clay Ganesh Idol Dissolved With Water Spray, Not Immersion

A 72-foot clay idol of Lord Ganesh in Vijayawada was dissolved at its installation site rather than being submerged in a water body, in a move aimed at curbing pollution during the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.

Instead of the customary immersion, fire tenders sprayed water over the towering clay structure, allowing it to break down naturally where it stood. Organisers chose the approach to reduce the burden on water bodies and to encourage environmentally conscious ways of celebrating the festival.

The idol drew large numbers of devotees during the celebrations, who took part in the prayers and festivities before the dissolution process was carried out.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 began on September 14, opening the 10-day Ganeshotsav. Devotees mark the occasion with prayers, flowers and sweets, with modaks among the offerings traditionally associated with the deity. Homes and temples across the country are decorated for the festival, and crowds gather at immersion points for the concluding Visarjan rituals and processions.

In Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra, large public idols are conventionally carried in elaborate processions to designated immersion sites, including Girgaum Chowpatty. The Vijayawada exercise offered a different route, keeping the idol out of a water body altogether.