Lord Ganesh's idol in Vizag decorated with vegetables to protest inflation

Vishakapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Sept.12 (ANI): An idol of Lord Ganesh in Visakhapatnam District has been made of black soil and decorated with pulses and vegetables as an act of protest against the high level of inflation.

The person behind the making of the idol, Y. Venkata Narayana Dee Kshitulu, said: "The government has increased the rates for the vegetables, and due to that, my dad and me came up with the new concept of arranging the Vinayaka (Lord Ganesh) vegetables and the beans, with which we can celebrate the Vinayaka Chaturthi with a new concept."

"We hope the government may convince themselves and decrease the rates, and also that will be somewhat helpful for the people of this country," he added.

The devotees hoped the gods would oblige since the government has failed to check inflation.

"We cannot say to government, so we are saying it to God by preparing a Vinayaka of the pulses etc. So, we are asking the government for decreasing of the prices," said V. Vamsi Krishna, a local.

Kshitulu says it took four days to complete the idol and would be kept for the next nine days.

Ganesha Chaturthi, the most important festival in western Maharashtra, is also celebrated with utmost devotion in other states of southern India like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. (ANI)