{
  "id": 7235731,
  "title": "Tome And Plume: Bhopal Remains Bathed In Bappa’s Blessings Since The Days Of Yore",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/tome-and-plume-bhopal-remains-bathed-in-bappas-blessings-since-the",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T03:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/tome-and-plume-bhopal-remains-bathed-in-bappas-blessings-since-the-days-of-yore"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bhopal, the City of Lakes, has long been blessed by Lord Ganesha, making the immersion ceremony of the idols a twice-a-year event. This divine connection dates back to 1947, when the first public Ganesh Puja took place in the city, marking a shift from private family gatherings to a public celebration. The oldest Ganesha idol in Madhya Pradesh, carved during the Gupta Empire, resides in Udayagiri hills, 57 km away from Bhopal, while another ancient temple with a rock-cut idol exists in Bhadbhada, close to the Upper Lake. Locals believe that the Lord's presence near the lake keeps Bhopal protected from natural calamities. The festival, initially a private affair, became a public spectacle in 1947, inspired by Lokmanya Tilak's efforts to promote the freedom struggle. Now, thousands gather on the banks of Upper Lake for the immersion rituals, celebrating the transition of the festival from private spaces to open squares, breaking social barriers and welcoming the common man to participate in the festivities.",
  "summary": "Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Unlike in other cities, the immersion ceremony of the idols of the Lord takes place twice in Bhopal: on Dol Gyaras and on Anant Chaturdashi. The City of Lakes has remained bathed in the blessings of Bappa since the days of yore, though it witnessed the first public Ganesh Puja 80 years ago on September 18, 1947. If we include the Chintamani Ganesha temple in Sehore within…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}