Iconic Kharaitabad Ganesha idol stands tall at 40-ft as festivities commence in the city

In contrast to the low-key festivities last year, Hyderabad’s iconic Khairatabad Ganesha is back in a bigger avatar this year. The Ganesha idol, donning panchamukhas, is called Shri Panchamukha Rudra Maha Ganapati. The idol stands 40 ft tall. “The festivities were low-key last year due to the pandemic. As a reason, the idol last year was only 9 ft tall. But we’re relieved that there are no restrictions on the height of the idol this year. We are expecting a lot more devotees to throng our pandal once again,” says S Raj Kumar, convenor, Kharaitabad Ganesha Utsava Committee. The installation of the Ganesha idol in Khairatabad is one of the biggest spectacles in Hyderabad every year, with thousands of people turning up to see the idol. “The government has issued COVID protocols and we will be strictly following them. It is mandatory for all devotees to wear masks. We have also set up sanitiser tunnels and will check temperature of all devotees,” Raj Kumar added.