Ahead of Ganeshotsav, the city’s dhol tasha pathaks and banjo players are going to be left in the lurch as processions are not allowed this year either. The groups claim that they haven’t practised in a long time due to the COVID-19 restrictions and that it will be difficult to take up things from where they left off two years ago.

Mandals in the city have been allowed to drop Ganesh idols at beaches but without any processions. Troupes of bands that used to perform at these processions and thought that the restrictions would last only a year are clueless about when they will be allowed to play again.