Lottery lure in Goa for funds to celebrate Ganeshotsav

Panaji, Sep 3 (UNI) The craze of buying lottery tickets on the name of Lord Ganesha, considered the removal of hurdles (vighna), has reached a crescendo with scores of festival organisers luring them with attractive prizes in this international tourist destination of Goa.

The shops and establishments are not far behind. They too, including those running super bazaars in the cooperative sector, started offering prizes for the buyers who make purchses worth Rs 300 or more. One could witness large volumes of business this season.

They are offering special coupons for dropping in the special boxes displayed in the shops so that the buyers could try their luck and test whether Lord Vighneswara could remove hurdles in their life and shower with gifts on them.

The lottery technique was to avoid pestering the devotees for parting with donations. The number of such instanace where the orgnisers including some street kids chasing the people in colonies for donations while displaying a small sealed hundi in their hangs, however did not come down.

With people preferring buying Ganesh festival lottery tickets in expectation of some return, many organisers were flush with funds and the donors were equally happy.

The prizes announced include two-wheelers, cars, home appliances and electronic gadgets and in the mining belt of Sanguem a tipper truck. They ranged from place to place to attract lumpsome moneys for conducting the festivities in a big way.

The Vighneswara will decide before the immersion ceremony whom He prefers to bless with the gifts and others with only 'prasadam' to satisfy with.

UNI BM ZA VKG1245