Ranchi: Ranchi delved into a festive mood on Sunday, with Ganesh Puja and Hartalika Teej preparations visible across neighbourhoods, markets, and temples.Children were drawn to roadside stalls displaying colourful Ganesh idols, while families picked up flowers, fruits and puja essentials for Monday’s celebrations.“Every year, the excitement is different when we come to choose the Ganesh idol. This time my children insisted on coming along and picked the idol themselves,” said Deepika Yadav, a resident of Lalpur.Teej added its own buzz to the city’s shopping stretches. Women browsed sarees, bangles and jewellery, while mehndi artists set up temporary stalls at several market points. Intricate designs were being offered for around Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, depending on the detailing and coverage. The rush also extended to beauty parlours and shops selling traditional accessories.Ganesh Puja preparations were taking shape in residential colonies and commercial areas, with organisers putting up pandals, arranging lights and giving final touches to decorations. Children could be seen accompanying parents to choose idols, turning what is usually a routine shopping trip into part of their festival excitement.Temples also saw preparations for the celebrations, with flowers, fruits and other offerings being arranged. Flower sellers and vendors of puja material had stocked up ahead of the two festivals, while fruit shops saw increased demand for offerings.“People have been buying flowers, fruits and puja items since morning. With both festivals together, the demand has been better than usual,” said Dinesh Ram, a vendor at Upper Bazaar.The festivals also brought out a more traditional side of the city, with women preparing for Teej rituals and families making arrangements for Ganesh worship. At the same time, neighbourhood pandals were becoming gathering points, with organisers completing decorations before devotees began arriving.
