Mangalore : Believe it or not, a 95 kg (weight) of Khajur (dates) fruits have gone into a splendid garland weighing 140kgs by a public Ganesha idol, being worshipped by merchants of Carstreet Flower market and their friends and has attracted large, curious attention of regular customers who go to Car street to buy their daily needs of Vegetables, fruits and flowers, since Ganesh Chaturthi held a week ago.

The Dates Fruits garland on Ganapathi’s neck here is 35 feet long and special to this idol. Anil John Crasta and his 15 friends have donated this “sweet” garland to the God, known as “Lambodara” (of big appetite and stomach)! The practice of garlanding this deity with flowers puffed rice or grapes and dates (fruits) has been going on for 8 years now in the 21st Century, Anil Crasta told Mega Media  on the Immersion Day.

Obviously, the deity has granted boons to Crasta all these years for his special services. The cost of such a garland has risen to Rs.12000 over the years for the special form of this garland, made in three days of hard work in which Anil’s friend Jairaj Shetty has collaborated.

Anil has set up flower shop in the over 70 years old flower market in Mangalore city on the widened Car Street, by name “Natural Flowers”. On occasions of celebrations, like marriages, birthdays, temple renovations, and monsoon festivals, and special days, Crasta has undertaken flower decorations on contract basis over the years now. But his faith in a Hindu God like Ganapathi of the Flower Market, is what sets him apart in his circle of flower-sellers. We wish him success in his business services. The Immersion Yatra starts at 7 pm today.