Over 20,000 Dashama idols immersed in Tapi

SURAT: Over 20,000 idols of Goddess Dashama were immersed in Tapi river from Navdi and Dakka ovaras of the city since Thursday night. People began to leave the idols at Navdi ovara from 6.30pm and the members of Sailor Club immersed them by 10.30am on Friday. This time the number of idols had almost doubled from 10,000 of last year. Devotees immerse the idols on the ninth night of Shravan month.Tradition demands that the idol must be immersed before sunrise.
Ukai dam has been releasing water at the rate of 24,000 cusecs for hydro power station. "The immersion of idols was easy this time because of flowing water," Sailor Club member Chandrvadan Sukani said, adding that an estimated 15,000 idols were immersed since Thursday night.
"More than a lakh people must have visited the ovara. We immersed all the idols that were brought by them and cleaned up the ovara by 10.30am," he added.
Manhar Nakkunwala, a member of Shree Kahar Machi Samaj, helped in the immersion of 6,000 idols at Dakka ovara. He said, "There was no problem of water this time. Majority of the idols were successfully immersed in the water." Meanwhile, many idols could be seen strewn all around creating an unpleasant sight for the onlookers.