Ganesh idol immersion continued late into Sunday night as Hyderabad witnessed large crowds, heavy traffic and elaborate arrangements around the lake. More than a lakh devotees visited the Khairatabad pandal, while swimmers, lifeguards and disaster response teams remained deployed.
Heavy rains failed to deter devotees from visiting the 69-ft-tall Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapathi at Hyderabad’s Khairatabad pandal on Monday. Police made arrangements to manage the rush, while Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and his spouse attended the first pooja.
The Khairatabad Ganesh idol for this year’s Vinayaka Chaturthi will feature the ‘Operation Sindoor’ theme and be crafted from eco-friendly clay. Preparations involve 150 artisans, with expectations of over 10 lakh devotees visiting during the 10-day festival.