PANAJI
Family processions heading for their one-and-a-half day 'Ganapati' idol 'visarjan' were rendered a tad silent dampening the usual revelry and the accompanying fireworks due to short spells of heavy showers in the latter part of Sunday.
In Panaji, sudden bursts of heavy showers since late afternoon curtailed revelry of several visarjan processions heading to the seashore along Miramar-Caranzalem, the Mandovi riverfront or at the Four Pillars water body in the city's outskirts.
The weather may have curtailed the revelry but it failed to dampen the spirit of devotion to Lord Ganesha much revered by Goa's majority Hindu community.
Several families braved the rains as they took the Ganesha idols in processions to the visarjan sites, singing 'bajans' and 'aartis' all the way.
Politicians meanwhile, upped their public engagement and visibility quotient, going around in their constituencies visiting supporters' homes and participating in Chaturthi festivities.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, participated and performed in a ghumat aarti presented by the students of Vivekanand Gnyan Mandir High School, Keri-Sattari.
Sawant also had several politicians visiting his home to wish him, including former deputy chief minister Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar and BJP MLAs Kedar Naik and Sankalp Amonkar.
At the Sanquelim ancestral home of the Rane's, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, hosted a group of students who presented ghumat aarti.
In the South too politicos, including those from the Catholic community were seen working overtime to ensure arrangements at visarjan sites were made.
Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao and South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes visited the home of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president, Amit Patkar, to wish him and his family members for the festival.
