Ganesh Utsavam boosts livelihoods for thousands in Vijayawada

The annual Ganesh Utsavam, celebrated on a grand scale, has been providing livelihoods to many purohits, petty vendors, artisans, technicians, and other stakeholders in the State. “The festival is celebrated on a grand scale, and Lord Ganesh is providing livelihoods to thousands of petty vendors, artisans, and sellers of puja materials, flowers, fruits, and patri every year,” said flower vendor P. Ramakrishna.

The organisers make elaborate arrangements to set up a grand pandal, featuring different themes and offering employment opportunities to artisans, decorators, technicians, electricians, fruit and flower vendors, caterers, and others.

“We have been organising a 21-day Ganesh Utsavam for over 15 years. Spiritual discourses and cultural events—such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi dance competitions, and Harikatha depicting tradition and culture—are organised during the festivities,” said Vemuri Suresh, a member of the organising committee at Siri Nagar.

Another member, Malladi Tarak Sai Teja, said that this year they decorated the Ganesh idol with figures depicting several Hindu deities and divine avatars as a theme at their pandal. “Eight priests will perform special pujas, kalyanams, archanas, and vratams. Teertha prasadams will be distributed after the puja every day during the 21-day Utsavam,” he said.

Meanwhile, artisans from Rajasthan, West Bengal, and other States who have been making Ganesh idols claim that their families work on the idols throughout the year and survive on the money they earn during the festival. “Our families make idols of Lord Ganesh throughout the year and earn money during the festival, which will last until the next year’s Chavithi,” said idol maker Ram Singh.

The decoration artists, private electricians, and stage decorators are fully booked during the festival. “Priests, tent house owners, flower, fruit, and coconut vendors, and cooks have to be booked in advance for the utsavam,” Mr. Sai Teja said.

Flower shop owners and decoration workers ensure the import of essential and hybrid flowers for pandal decorations. “We collect lotus flowers from the nearby ponds, arrange jasmine and rose flowers, and import hybrid varieties from Bengaluru,” said decoration artist B. Dora Babu.