- Ganesh idols left on dry Chitravathi riverbed in Andhra Pradesh.
- Devotees in Puttaluru faced heartbreaking immersion due to acute water scarcity.
- Drought caused by poor monsoon, excessive borewell use, and El Nino.
A drought-hit village in Andhra Pradesh witnessed a heartbreaking Ganesh immersion scene this year, with devotees left without enough water to immerse the idols of Lord Ganesha.
Chitravathi River has dried up in Puttaluru due to acute water scarcity. The Chitravathi River bed, where the Ganesh idol immersion takes place, was filled with sand as the devotees arrived with Bappa's idol.
VIDEO:
🚨 Drought dries up Chitravathi River, leaving Ganesh idols on the dry riverbed in Andhra Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/m8AV8cTFqJ
— India Live (@IndiaLiveIN) September 21, 2026
With no water in the river, the people had to place the idols on the dry riverbed instead of immersing them. The entire scenario of a river that once carried water to the dry bed of sand has come as a shock to the residents.
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Why is Andhra Pradesh Facing Drought?
Water shortage has been reported across many regions of the state owing to poor monsoon rainfall. Low precipitation has impacted the rivers, lakes and other sources of water, along with groundwater recharge.
Heavy use of borewells for agricultural and domestic purposes has escalated the situation, with reports indicating that almost 60 per cent of the borewells have gone dry.
Weather phenomena, including El Nino have also been blamed by meteorologists for the variations in monsoon rainfall in South India. Ineffective reservoir management and low water storage levels have further added to the pressure on water resources.