“It’s been 67 years since Ganesh Chathurthi celebrations started here in Khairatabad.

Pilgrims from different states of India come to visit us and we have been increasing the height of the Ganesh murti by one foot every year to mark the year of celebrations. However, last year, because of Covid restrictions, we had to abide by the government protocols and restrict the size to 9 feet. But this year, as things are slowly improving, we have set up a 40 feet Pancha Mukha Rudra Maha Ganapathi. The idol’s design had been created by S. Anbarasan and the idol was sculpted by C. Rajendran.

The preparation work began 100 days before the festival and about 120-150 workers including carpenters and artisans worked on the idol.

Going back to history, the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Mandap was founded by our founder, Shri S. Shankaraiah Mudiraj and the first Ganesh puja was performed here in the year 1954 with a one-foot idol and gradually the size of the idol increased every year.

We have been continuing the tradition of performing the Khairtabad Ganesh Utsav with utmost importance and grandeur ever since. For the next ten days, lakhs of devotees from various parts of the country would offer their prayers. However, we have set up the online darshan from last year to provide darshan to our devotees due to covid guidelines. One could obtain the online darshan facility this year too by visiting our website, www.ganapathideva.org.

We also expect this year to be normal, unlike last year as the public is allowed to offer their prayers here directly.

Every year, on day 1 of the Utsav, the State Governor, ministers and other VIPs perform puja at our Utsav to mark the beginning of the festival and we are expecting the same this year too. We also have a few foreign devotees who visit the Ganesh Utsav and we are all geared up to make it a grand event.

Khairatabad Ganesh symbolises unity and brotherhood among the people and with this spirit, we intend to spread goodness among everyone.”