Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Ganeshotsav began with heavy rush across city markets as devotees flocked to buy idols. Crowds were seen not only at the traditional Zilla Parishad ground stalls but also at several new sale points from Aurangpura to Rajabazar.
This year, sales centres also mushroomed at Gajanan Maharaj Mandir Road, TV Centre, Cidco-Hudco, Mukundwadi, Chikalthana, Beed Bypass, Paithan Road, Cantonment, and even inside residential colonies. Alongside local artisans, idols poured in from Mumbai, Pune, Pen, Ahmednagar, and Buldhana. But the decentralised sales hit sellers hard. With the market scattered and competition high, nearly 15–20% of idols remained unsold. While idols priced between Rs 200 and Rs10,000 found buyers, many small and mid-sized ones were left behind. Now, vendors face the pressing problem of storing the leftover idols.