In Hyderabad, a Ganesh Pandal with the theme “Polling Booth Ganesh” has been set up by tech-savvy individuals in the Old City. This initiative aims to raise awareness about voter participation among the younger generation. The Ganesh idol, created by the Future Foundation Society, is designed to make voters conscious of their duty.
Hyderabad is known for its passionate celebration of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The city is filled with colorful pandals and unique statues of Ganesh. Each year, techies in the city install a different Ganesh idol to promote awareness and dedication.
The Future Foundation Society has been setting up Ganesh pandals for 27 years. This year, they decided to focus on raising awareness about the importance of voting. The “Polling Booth Ganesh” theme includes a Ganesh idol, cutouts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, and two police officers. They have also created an EVM machine and a ballot box to educate voters about different polling methods.
The Ganesh pandal attracts people from all castes and communities. Visitors have praised the initiative for providing a real-time voting experience. The team has also installed clay idols of human officers in the polling booth setting to further spread awareness among new voters.
In previous years, the society has used different themes for their Ganesh idols, including highlighting the importance of farmers, honoring Covid warriors, promoting vaccine awareness, and saluting the efforts of ISRO scientists.
Overall, this innovative Ganesh Pandal serves as a unique way to spread awareness about voter participation and civic engagement among the younger generation in Hyderabad.