This afternoon Monday 28 August 2017—Ganesh immersion took place at a number of tanks and theerthams at Tiruvannamalai. The photographs below are of immersions at the Tamari Nagar Tank, located at the heart of Tiruvannamalai.
To reduce a bottleneck of statues waiting for immersion, authorities issued time-stamp tokens to devotees (in charge of individual statues), asking them to present themselves at the tank at an appointed time.
For smaller statues, a group of lads carried the idols down the slopes of the tank. For larger statues, a crane was used to lower statues into the water.
Tamari Nagar, one of the largest tanks at Tiruvannamalai |
The Mandapams at opposite sides of the tank have been renovated |
Smaller Ganesha carried by hand up the side of the tank bund |
By starting immersions in the afternoon, authorities hoped to reduce the late evening bottleneck of previous years |
Lads in the tank ready to receive the Ganesh statue |
Smaller statue coming up the slope—to the relief of carrying lads |
In He goes—a number of statues with paraphernalia have already been immersed in the Tank |
A beautifully decorated Ganesha coming up the slope |
Bullock cart with Ganesha and two different versions of Ardhanisvara |
This year a great variety of types of statues |
A big Ganesha needs the crane to help him to the top of the slope |
And in He goes! |
Two smaller Ganeshas in line for immersion |
Easy enough to carry this little fellow into the tank |
Another giant Ganesh being attached to the crane winch |
Up he goes! |
Giving a final darshan for the 2017 Arunachala Ganesha Chaturthi Festival |
Awaiting the new arrival, many Ganeshas are already in the Tank |