PUNE: Neither the fear of a possible third wave nor the showers could dampen the spirit of citizens who enthusiastically visited shops selling Ganpati idols to bring home their favourite Bappa on Thursday evening.
Areas such as Mandai, Kumbar Wada, and the Peth areas witnessed heavy footfall since morning. There was a palpable excitement in the air as people geared up for the ten-day festival, starting Friday.
“It is nice to see people out and about, gearing up for the festival this year. Though we were happy being amidst the hustle and bustle, we were cautious about maintaining a safe distance and keeping our masks on,” said Siddharth Patil, resident of Sadashiv Peth.
“Last year, we could not celebrate any festival properly. This year, we plan to make up for it,” said Rohan Tanksale, a resident of Kedarinagar. Debasmita Roy, a resident of Magarpatta, said, “My husband and I came from Kolkata 25 years ago and settled down here. Since then, we have been celebrating the festival. We initially kept the idol only for five days, but over the last few years we have been keeping it for all ten days of the festival.”
Pramod Jain, a resident of Mundhwa, said, “We decorate our puja room with flowers. All of us also attend the aarti at each other’s home.”
