Khairatabad Ganesh is ready

Standing at 59 ft, the Khairatabad Ganesh idol, the tallest in the city, is all decked up and set for the upcoming Ganapathi celebrations that will begin on September 17.

In its 61st year, the Khairatabad Ganesh idol made at Tapeshwaram has been installed in the style of ‘Thrishaktimaya Moksha Ganapathi’ by the side of Gajendra Moksham and Bhadrakali Devi, with a laddu weighing 5,600 kg in its palm.

Speaking to The Hans India Chairman of Ganesh Utsav Committee of Khairatabad, S Sudershan Muduraj said, “More than 30 lakh devotees participate in the 11-day festival, which includes devotees from other parts of the state and pan India.

“The idol was first installed by late freedom fighter, S Shakaraigh in 1954 and it stood at 1 ft. We have been increasing its height every year with 60 ft marking 60 years in 2014. However, now we took a foot down,” he said. There are 58,000 Ganesh Idols in the city and the Khairatabad idol is the pride of Hyderabad.

The cost of making the idol incurs an expenditure of Rs 55 lakh and the components used are 35 tonnes plaster of paris, 25 tonnes of iron and steel, coconut coirs 100 bundles with many colours and other material by engaging more than 150 artisans and skilled workers drawn from Chennai, Maharastra, Kokatta, Hyderbad, Adilabad, Kakinada, Banadar and other places.

More than 200 Ganesh Utsav Committee volunteers will help the devotees during the darshan. In addition, the Hyderabad City Police personnel will make security arrangements with installations of video cameras Muduraj appealed to the public to cooperate with the committee volunteers and police authorities to ensure quick and hassle free darshan.

By CH Saibaba

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