Ahmedabad: Continuing an over seven-decade-old tradition, Lord Ganesh was given a guard of honour by the state police here, to mark the beginning of the ten-day Ganesha festival.

"After the state guard of honour Wednesday, the Idol of Lord Ganesh was set up at the mandap (raised platform)", Mahant Ganeshdas of Sidhi Vinayak temple in Mehsana, 78 km from here, said.

"Cultural programmes would be held for the next nine days," Mahant Ganeshdas added.

The tradition of giving state honour to Lord Ganesh has been prevalent in the Maratha town of Mehsana for the last 75 years.

According to District Superintendent of Police Raju Bhargava, who was present at the Sidhi Vinayak temple, "It was during the Gaekwad regime that Mehsana town celebrated the Ganesha utsav (festival) with guard of honour to Lord Ganesh. Since Mehsana fell in the domain of Gaekwad of Vadodara, worshipping Lord Ganesh gained momentum here."

"Agashe Sahib was the first Subba in 1933 who began paying guard of honour on behalf of the Gaekwad state," Satish Patwardhan, a devotee of Lord Ganesh said.

"After guard of honour the procession of the lord would be taken out in the city and the same tradition still continues," Patwardhan added.

 

Source : IANS