J&K: Lord Ganesha heads to Line of Control this Ganesha Chaturthi

Mumbai: Praying for peace at the Line of Control (LoC) and safety of the soldiers manning it, a woman is taking three Ganesha idols from Mumbai to her home in Jammu and Kashmir this Ganesha Chaturthi.

One of the Ganesha idols, 6.5 feet high, called India-Pakistan Border cha Raja (King of India-Pakistan border) will be placed near the Line of Control.

Kiran Ishar, a resident of Poonch district in Jammu-Kashmir has been placing the Ganesha idol near LoC for the past three years.

"Tensions continue to be at our borders and the situation is far from normal. We will keep Lord Ganesha there for 10 days to bless our soldiers and boost their morale. It is also aimed to spread the message of love and brotherhood among the people of Jammu-Kashmir," said Kiran Ishar.

Kiran left for Jammu with the idols on Monday and is expected to reach by Wednesday.

"The idol will be taken by Swaraj Express and we will reach Jammu day after tomorrow from where it will be moved by truck," Ishar said on Monday.

The occasion is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm by the locals. The celebrations will include cultural programmes and lunch. Army soldiers will also come and seek blessings of Lord Ganesha.

After the abrogation of Article 370, the government has been lifting restrictions gradually and Kiran hopes that the district administration allows her to proceed with the celebrations like the previous years.

"I have not been able to contact my people for the past few days. So now, when I reach Jammu, I will follow whatever Jammu administration says" she added.