“In 1978, when the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee asked me to sculpt a nine-foot idol, I thought it was just another assignment. At the time, I was designing film sets at Ramakrishna Studios in Hyderabad. I didn’t know that request would change my life. Since then, except for a few years, I have been the chief sculptor of this festival. For me, it is not just art, it is devotion and responsibility.

I come from a family of sculptors in Chennai. When I moved to Hyderabad for cinema work, I never imagined this city would adopt me. Months before Ganesh Chaturthi, my planning begins. The theme is decided after consulting astrologers, and a team of artisans from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bengal, and Telangana come together. We use iron frames, clay mixed with rice husk and jute powder, and natural colors – every detail is chosen carefully, knowing lakhs of devotees will stand before the idol.

In 2006, I survived a serious road accident in Bhongiri. That moment reminded me that life is fragile, and this work is my calling. For three months before the festival, I follow a strict routine eating once a day, avoiding non-vegetarian food, and dedicating every hour to sculpting the idol.

From nine feet in the 1970s to nearly 70 feet today, the Khairatabad Ganesh has become part of Hyderabad’s identity. This year’s Vishwashanti Mahashakti Ganapati stands 69 feet tall, completed in 84 days by 125 artisans using over 1,000 bags of clay, 30 tons of steel, and 50 cartloads of paddy. In recent years, we have shifted fully to eco-friendly clay and natural colors to protect Hussain Sagar during immersion.

The Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav began in 1954 with a one-foot idol installed by Singari Shankaraiah Garu. Today, I feel honored to carry that legacy forward along with the Utsav Committee members.”

– Shilpi Chinnaswamy Rajendran, Chief Sculptor of the Khairatabad Ganesh

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