A day after Anant Chaudas, when the idols were immersed into the Tapi last year, they had resurfaced, mutilated and disfigured. Within days, the city witnessed massive floods. The two incidents may not have been connected, but they helped the administration in no mean way to convince organisers to keep idols small. This year, the authorities furthered their advantage by ordering the taller idols to be immersed in Dumas, about 20 km away from the city.

In Vadodara, no one has spared a thought so far to the fate of the hundreds of idols that will be immersed -- if only in name -- in and around the city. Barring Sursagar, almost all the water bodies have dried up at the tail end of a long, dry season. Though Sursagar will be dredged, civic sources admit big idols can be immersed only from the Music College side.

Given that the lake is not more than four feet deep in most parts, and that scores of idols are more than 12 feet in height, the scenario is not difficult to contemplate. Vertical immersion -- deemed the norm by devotees -- will be impossible; idols are likely to resurface, shorn of all pomp and glory that surrounded them in the hour of their worship.

The story is not different in Mohammed Talav, Siddhnath Talav and ponds in Gotri, Sarasia, Danteshwar and Warasia. A big question mark hangs over the fate of the idols immersed here, for the authorities insist organisers will have to follow immersion schedules and routes.

``We can't do anything about the other lakes. It's too late now'', admits Deputy Municipal Commissioner (administration) H S Patel. ``All this should have been planned in advance; the large idols should have been immersed in the Mahisagar.''

Interestingly, the immersion routes were finalised recently by a coordination committee of police and civic officials.

While Patel says it is up to the police to regulate the idol size, DCP (South) Mohan Jha maintains the police can only appeal to the organisers to restrict the size. ``We don't want to interfere in religious matters'', he says. ``Besides, it will be difficult to convince people on this count.''

The reaction of pooja-organisers seems to carry that out. ``Bahu kachkach karse to ame Ganapati bahar chhodine aavta rahisu (We'll dump the idol on the banks and come back if the authorities pester us?'', warns a volunteer of the Ranchhod Yuvak Mandal, where the idol is 12-feet high.

Organisers of Ganeshotsavs around the Sursagar react similarly. ``We won't go anywhere. Let them do what they want to'', says Umesh Rana and Vishal Shinde of the Bramhapuri Yuvak Mandal, adding proudly, ``Ours is the only Ganapati to violate one-way restrictions in the presence of the police.''