A Ganesh idol in Andhra Pradesh’s Mangalagiri has become the centre of attraction after organisers adorned it with an astonishing Rs 2.41 crore in currency notes as part of the Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations.
A Ganesh idol in Andhra Pradesh’s Mangalagiri has become the centre of attraction after organisers adorned it with an astonishing Rs 2.41 crore in currency notes as part of the Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations. The lavish decoration was organised by the Mangalagiri Main Bazaar Varthaka Sangam, led by Sanka Balaji Gupta (SBG) Youth, on Mangalagiri Main Road. The group has been carrying out the unique tradition of decorating the Ganesh idol with currency notes for nearly two decades.
It began with currency worth Rs 10 lakh in the first year and has now grown to Rs 2.41 crore, with the amount increasing by an average of around Rs 10 lakh every year.
“Every year, we adorn the Ganesh idol with currency notes for one day during the 11-day festival. We collect the notes from local traders in the town and offer devotees a glimpse of the idol decorated with the currency. The notes are later returned to their respective owners,” said pandal organiser Sanka Balaji Gupta, a trader on Mangalagiri Main Road, while speaking to TOI.
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Gupta said around 100 traders and their family members participate in the process, collecting old currency notes and depositing them in banks to exchange them for fresh notes.
The new notes are then carefully used to decorate the idol, creating an unusual spectacle for devotees visiting the pandal.
The currency notes used for the decoration range from Rs 50 to Rs 500. Every year, local traders contribute in large numbers, driven by the belief that offering money to adorn Lord Ganesha can bring prosperity and good fortune to them and their families.
