An idol of Lord Ganesh at a puja at Hajiganj in Patna City that stepped into its 99th year and (below) a puja at a private residence in Rajendra Nagar in Patna. Pictures by Sachin and Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Sept. 1: The festive mood in the state capital continued for the second consecutive day with the start of Ganesh Chaturthi today. Residents, who celebrated Id and Teej with much fervour yesterday, started their day with equal fanfare associated with the festival in other states.

Although more popular in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, Patna too kicked off the festival in style with glittering pandals and the Lord draped in shining clothes in every locality. Idols of Lord Ganesh have been installed at several places in the city, including Serpentine Road, Daroga Rai Path, East Boring Canal Road, Chajjubagh, Gai Ghat, Patna City, Khajekala and Danapur.

However, the most popular celebration continues to be at Hajiganj in Patna City where idols of Lord Ganesh are being installed with much fanfare for the past 99 years. Hajiganj is one of the oldest places in Bihar where Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated each year.

Sixty-year-old Ganesh Baba, the priest who has been performing the puja at Hajipur for the last 40 years, said: “It’s true that this is one of the oldest places in the state where Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated. A large number of devotees gather here to see the idol and pray to the Lord. A special Ganpati Pran Pratishthapana Puja is held everyday. It is believed that prayers are not accepted if this particular ritual is not performed. Moreover, Ganesh Chaturthi becomes even more special as other Hindu festivals follow it.”

Apart from Ganesh pandals around the city, some residents have also installed idols of Lord Ganesh in their homes to usher more prosperity and good luck. While the bigger idols installed in the localities are immersed after 10 days, the ones worshipped in homes are immersed in one-and-a-half or five days.

Rajkumar Jaiswal, a businessman and resident of Rajendra Nagar, said: “The tradition of observing Ganesh Chaturthi started in my house once my son went to Mumbai for over six years to study. He came to know about the puja in Mumbai and asked us to celebrate it here. It may be something new for others but we have gradually accepted it and observe it every year. This festival is no more restricted to states like Maharashtra and is celebrated everywhere.”

He also said: “Rest of the year we are so busy with our lives that we hardly get any time to spend with family and friends. However, on this auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi, our friends and relatives visit our home and we celebrate the festival together.”

As residents are gearing up to celebrate the 10-day extravaganza, organisers in several localities have decided to host musical evenings throughout the festival. Ashutosh Trivedi, one of the organisers at the puja at East Boring Canal Road, said: “We will organise musical evenings every day and only songs worshipping Lord Ganesh will be played. Bhajans and kirtans will also be organised during the evening aarti and modak, the sweet that is offered to Lord Ganesh, will be distributed among the devotees.”