Khairatabad Ganesh: Hyderabad Celebrates Vinayak Chaturthi With 69-Foot-Tall Ganpati

Khairatabad Ganesh is one of the most renowned Ganpati celebrations in the country, known particularly for its height. The Khairatabad Maha Ganapati Utsav has entered its 71st year, a tradition which was started by freedom fighter Singari Shankaraiah in 1954. (Image: Instagram)

This year’s theme is Vishwashanti Maha Shakti Ganapati. It features a 69-foot-tall Ganesh idol. (Image: Instagram)

The 2025 idol has been created by sculptor Chinnaswamy Rajendra, who has been doing it since 1978. Built by 125 artisans in 84 days, the eco-friendly idol is made of 1,000 bags of clay, 30 tons of steel, 70 bags of rice husks, and 50 cartloads of dried grass. (Image: Instagram)

This year’s idol features Lord Ganesha at the centre, surrounded by Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Maheshwar. On the right side are the idols of Sri Lakshmi Sametha Hayagriva Swamy and Sri Gajjalamma Devi, while on the left are the idols of Puri Jagannath Swamy, Subhadra and Balarama along with Sri Lalita Tripurasundari Devi. (Image: Instagram)

The Khairatabad Ganapati Utsav will celebrated for 10 days, starting today. The Maha Ganapati Nimajjanam (immersion) will take place on September 6, 2025, marking the conclusion of the festivities. Like every year, the festival is expetced to draw lakhs of devotees. (Image: Instagram)

The Khairatabad Ganesh often draws comparisons to other iconic Ganpati idols, such as Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja and Pune’s Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati. It stands out for its massive size and technical sophistication. (Image: Instagram)

The Khairatabad Ganesh is also known for its massive laddu, offered as prasad, which is distributed among devotees. (Image: Instagram)

Fun fact: The Khairatabad Ganesh was featured in the K. Viswanath-directed 1983 film Sagara Sangamam, where Kamal Haasan’s dance sequences were shot in front of the idol. (Image: Instagram)