Online Darshan And No Procession; Khairatabad Ganesh Will Be 27-feet Tall This Year!

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad's famous Khairatabad Ganesh idol will not be taller than last year's which was a record 66-feet in height. It has been a tradition to increase the idol's height by one foot every year, But this year, In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers have decided to install a 27-feet tall idol made of clay instead of a Plaster of Paris (POP) one.

It has also been decided that no devotees from the other areas would be allowed to visit the venue for the darshan of the idol during the 10-day festivities, which are obviously going to be a simple affair, given the COVID-19 guidelines in places. However, to compensate for that to an extent, the organisers have facilitated an online darshan. One can book for the puja and have darshan from their homes. The idol immersion on the 11th day, which usually marks the climax of the festivities with hours-long procession filled with all the religious fervour and revelry making for a grand spectacle, will be a low-key affair. This time, there will be no procession. The idol will be dissolved right at the spot of its installation to adhere to both anti-coronavirus and eco-friendly norms.

Chairman of the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Samithi Singari Sudarshan Mudiraj said, “This time, we have decided to install a Ganesh idol, themed on God Dhanvantari. The idol will be made of clay and painted with organic colours. We will not have a procession on the 11th day."

The devotees will have to book for an online darshan through the official website and only committee members will be present for the spot immersion,” he said.

Last year, around 40 lakh devotees visited the venue and had a darshan of the Ganesh idol at Khairatabad over10 days. The 66-feet tall idol installed last year was the biggest and tallest ever that the Utsav Samithi had come up with in the last 65 years.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it was initially decided that an idol of Lord Ganesha would be made at a height of one foot this year. However, following a flood of requests from devotees, it was reversed and a fresh decision was taken to install a 27-feet tall idol of Lord Ganesha.