Margao: The annual frenzy has begun in Quepem, with thousands flocking to the sports complex at Borimol for a chance to win a BMW X3 and Rs 45 lakh in cash — the star attraction of this year’s Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal donation coupons.The prize lineup includes a BMW iX1, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, Tata Harrier Adventure X, Kia Seltos, Tata Sierra Adventure X Plus, Mahindra Thar Roxx and 14 other premium to mid-segment vehicles, besides substantial cash rewards. Five motorcycles are also among the prizes.On the opening day on Saturday, eager donors formed queues stretching 1.5km before dawn, from the sports complex at Borimol to the traffic island at Tilamol. Undeterred by the rain, people from across the state turned up for the coupons.“This is where economic barriers dissolve completely,” said Harishchadra Naik, a local shopkeeper who has witnessed the annual spectacle for over a decade. “Whether you’re driving a luxury sedan or riding a motorbike, everyone stands in the same line waiting their turn to receive the ‘mahaprasad pavati’ — as devotees reverently call these donation coupons — hoping Ganapati Bappa will smile upon them.”People from Bicholim, Vasco and other distant parts of Goa queued up, with some setting up makeshift camps around the complex from late Friday.The Quepem Ganeshotsav mandal, which began as a modest local event, has grown into a state-wide attraction. The sales counters were shifted from Quepem municipal square to the Borimol sports complex three years ago to accommodate the growing crowds.“Payments will be accepted only in cash, no UPI payments. We have made all arrangements for effective queue management,” said a mandal committee member.
