Competition for tallest idol: Gajuwaka Ganesh tallest at 89 feet, Khairatabad 70 feet

Vizag/Hyderabad: The favourite season for youth and children is just three days away, and excitement is high to see who will have the tallest Ganesh idol this year from the Telugu states.

Andhra Pradesh’s Gajuwaka Ganesh, which has held the title of setting up Bada Ganesh idol since 2012, remains in the spotlight. In 2023, the organisers have setup Sri Anantha Panchamukha Maha Ganapati’ rupam at 117 feet, making it arguably the tallest eco-friendly Ganesh idol in India.

This year, it will be Sri Maha Uchchistha Ganapati at a height 89 feet (approx). Though the height is less compared to last year, it stands as the tallest Ganesh for the Telugu states.

Another major attraction is the organisers are creating Ayodhya Ram Lalla temple setup beside the Bada Ganesh.

Speaking to NewsMeter, K Ganesh from SV Entertainments said, “This year too, we will be the ones to have the tallest Ganesh in sitting position, as Vijayawada Ganesh is at 72 feet and Khairatabad is at 70 feet. We are also creating a temple set of Ayodhya Ram with 11 feet Ram Lalla made of dark chocolate. There will be freezers set up around to keep the idol cool."

Two laddu prasadam weighing 200 kgs, 89 kgs will be offered to the deity. This time, the idol is placed at the Srinagar area, half-km away from the Lanka grounds in Gajuwaka.

Matti Manishi commissioned

The pandal organisers roped in Telangana-based renowned clay idol craftsman Kothakonda Nagesh, wel known as Matti Manishi in Telangana, to help conceptualise and execute the idol's construction.

“Like every year, the idol immersion will be done at the pandal by using fire tenders and milk and water brought from various sacred rivers,” said Ganesh.

70th year of Khairatabad Ganesh

On the other side, the most famous Hyderabad’s Khairatabad Ganesh will be made to 70 feet height this year, marking the 70th anniversary of the Khairatabad Ganesh celebrations.

This is a significant increase from last year’s 63-foot idol, which weighed approximately 50 tonnes.

This year’s idol is titled Sri Saptamukha Maha Shakti Ganapathi, featuring a unique design with seven faces, seven snakes, and fourteen hands. A separate idol of Lord Ram will be installed, reminiscent of the Ayodhya Ram Lalla, which is to be a major attraction.

Chief architect Chinnaswamy Rajendran has been the chief designer and architect of the idol every year since 1978 and the theme for each year is developed in consultation with astrologers. Besides, expert clay artists, and artists from Koraput in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal are part of making the Bada Ganesh

The Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee, led by chairman Singari Raj Kumar, is organizing the celebrations, which will include various events over the 11-day festival beginning from September 7. Governor Jishnu Dev Varma is expected to conduct the first puja, with chief minister Revanth Reddy as the chief guest.

As per tradition, the idol will be immersed in the Hussainsagar lake on the 11th day of the festival. The Khairatabad Ganesh idol is taken on a direct route to the lake on Tank Bund Road. Once the idol reaches the lake, cranes, fitted with specialised equipment, lift up the idol and immerse it in the lake.