Nagpur: Midnight is turning into prime time for Ganpati darshan in Nagpur. Even on weekdays, serpentine queues outside some of the city’s popular themed pandals have stretched well past 1am, with families and groups of youngsters hopping from one Bappa to another long after most of the city would ordinarily have called it a day.This year, elaborate themes are adding to the pull. From the famous Harry Potter at Ramkrishna Nagar to a Disneyland-inspired castle at Vivekanand Nagar to underwater Dwarka at Jaripatka and other mythological and contemporary recreations, devotees are planning entire night-time outings around popular pandals.“We deliberately came around 11 pm thinking the crowd would have reduced. But when we reached, there was massive rush for darshan,” said Karan Dekate, a resident of New Manish Nagar visiting Mahal pandals. “Once we were already out, we decided to cover two-three more pandals instead of returning home.”For youngsters, the late hours have become part of the experience. “At night the lighting and decorations look completely different. We started after dinner and thought we would finish by midnight, but there is so much to see that it easily stretches to 12.30am or 1am,” said Nilima Dole, who was pandal-hopping with friends.Mandal organisers say the real test, however, could begin Friday night. Mahalaxmi, or Gauri, puja will be observed on Friday, keeping many families occupied with the traditional mahanaivedya and gatherings at home.Mahalaxmi visarjan follows on Saturday, potentially leaving Saturday evening and much of Sunday open for families to head out for Ganpati darshan.“On weekdays itself, people have been coming till midnight. With the weekend approaching, we expect the numbers to rise substantially. Saturday night and Sunday could be among the busiest periods, and the movement may continue even beyond,” said Trimurti nagar pandal’s Deva Dahankar, adding that volunteers are being readied for the rush.The city’s growing appetite for themed pandals is also turning darshan into a planned night out — families checking multiple locations, youngsters mapping routes and groups moving from one attraction to the next. And if weekday nights are any indication, this weekend, the queues may get longer late into the night.
