For the love of Ganesha

West Maredpally: One may have a passion for collecting coins, currencies. Meet Pabsetti Shekhar, who has a unique passion of collecting Ganesha idols. He has been collecting idols for the past 46 years.

A special assistant at State Bank of India, CCPC in Secunderabad, the 59-year-old has a bank of idols from different parts of the world and of different sizes. The collection of his idols starts from half-inch to 4 feet.

Speaking to The Hans India, P Shekhar said, "Since my childhood I have this passion of making Ganesh idols out of clay during Ganesh festival. During the month of July in 1973, I visited Saibaba Temple at Shirdi, along with my parents, where I saw a small POP Ganesha idol and since then my passion for collecting the Ganesha idols has begun."

Shekhar has a collection of 40,700 statues of Lord Ganesha till date, which include 19,022 Ganesh idols, 20,462 photographs, 1,098 posters, 195 books, 200 key chains and 201 audio/video cassettes. The collection has all forms of Ganesh statues from Bala Ganapati to Sankatahara Ganapati.

Shekhar has not only been collecting and buying these idols and posters from different parts of world, but he has also been making Ganeshas with shells, m-seal, pop, marble, crystal and glass.

"There are many people who collect idols. But, after a specific time they feel to remove or sell these idols. I never had any such thought of selling even the idol that is of half-inch or even a poster. By god's grace, passion and love, I have collected Ganesha idols, and today I am here with a bank of idols and posters of Ganapati," said Shekhar.

The special one this year is a five-trunked Ganesha, which was bought from Chhattisgarh. The idol was made under his supervision. The idol is one-foot long. Taking a clue from 'Puranas,' he made this idol.

The Guinness-record holder for five years, along with a number of other awards, he has achieved the world's largest collection of Ganesh idols and photographs as on date. He is also writing a book called, 'Vishwa Vinayaka,' which is going to cover the Indian Ganesha temples and the Ganesha temples around the world.