Khairtabad Ganesh idol from 66 feet to 1 feet this year

Hyderabad: The Khairtabad Ganesh committee announced on May 12 that their ganesha will be only of One feet this year, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hoping that the lockdown would end soon, the Ganesh Utsav Committee, Khairtabad, has planned to start working on this year’s Ganesh idol. To being with the preparations, ‘Karra puja’ will be held at the Khairtabad library building on May 18, the committee members said.

This will be the 66th year of Khairtabadh Ganesh idol installation. Chairman of the committee

S. Sudarshan said, “Only 5-6 people will take part in the puja due to the Covid-19 lockdown. On the auspicious occasion of Sarva Ekadasi on May 18, the puja will be held at 5 pm. All precautions will be taken while performing the puja.”

In 2019, the committee made a 61-feet Ganesh idol, with 12 heads and 24 hands holding different weapons. A chariot of seven horses was also made. It was said to be India’s tallest Ganesh idol last year.

The chairman said that as of now, only 5-6 people will begin the works and once, the lockdown norms are eased, the committee will bring in more people. Every year, lakhs of people make a visit to the Khairtabad Ganesh idol during the 11-day fete observed after Ganesh Chaturthi . Also, people flock the streets to catch a glimpse of the idol when it is taken out for immersion.

This year, the Ganesh festival is slated to begin on August 22. The Khairtabad Ganesh Committee was started in 1954 and since then, the members have been installing a big idol every year.

Meanwhile, Mumbai’s Lalbaug Sarvajanik Ustav Mandal, which installs India’s famous Lal Baugh ka Raja Ganesh idol every year, has announced that it will not collect donations from people for this year Ganesh Utsav.