Hyderabad: The iconic Khairatabad Maha Ganapati will grace devotees this year in the form of ‘Sapthamukha Mahashakti Ganapati’ starting Saturday. In celebration of the 70th anniversary, the towering Bada Ganesh stands at an impressive height of 70 feet.
Devotees will offer prayers to Maha Ganapati for ten days, culminating in a grand immersion ceremony on September 17. The first pooja will be performed at 1100 hours, with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his family in attendance. Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma is scheduled to participate in the puja at 1500 hours.
This year, the eco-friendly Bada Ganesh has been crafted entirely from clay. Despite delays, the statue was completed swiftly by the Utsav Committee, with 190 artisans contributing to its creation. Flanking the grand idol are statues depicting Srinivasa Kalyanam and Sivaparvatula Kalyanam, adding to the spiritual grandeur.
A special attraction this year is the statue of Ayodhya’s Balarama placed at the foot of the main Ganesh idol. The festival is expected to draw a large number of devotees, including visitors from neighbouring states. Last year, approximately 2.2 million people visited Bada Ganesh, and the Utsav Committee anticipates around 3 million devotees this year.
