Under a grey overcast sky on Friday (September 25, 2026) morning, the 69-ft tall Khairatabad Ganesh idol’s journey towards the Hussainsagar lake in Hyderabad got delayed as a sea of faithful thronged to catch the glimpse of the symbol of the belief on Ananta Chaturdasi.
Final preparations were underway for the immersion of the iconic 69-foot-tall Ganesh idol in Khairatabad, as Hyderabad Traffic Police make elaborate traffic arrangements and diversions for the Ganesh immersion procession on Thursday (September 24, 2026) | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
“Today it has been delayed. The welding process is still going on. Our goal was to ensure the immersion before noon. But they are slightly behind schedule,” said a security personnel overseeing the arrangements.
Cranes installed along Tank Bund in Hyderabad to facilitate the immersion of Ganesh idols, on Thursday (September 24, 2026) | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
As a vast army of Telangana policemen, who stayed on their toes for the past 10 days, stood guard, and created the passage throng the busy residential and commercial locality of Khairatabad and Lakdikapul, pilgrims poured in from all corners of the city right from morning to participate in the festivities that mark the culmination of Ganesh Chaturthi.
The idol built over months, worshipped for 10 days, was hauled and moved onto a trailer truck to ensure its transport to the lake. As workmen welded the tall idol to the trailer truck, a band of traditional musicians struck notes of ‘Vaatapi Ganapati bhajem’ using sannai (shehnai) and mridangam.
“The idol doesn’t weigh much. There will be another crane near the lake to carry out the immersion,” said Fayaz, operating the crane at the site.
As plastic confetti flew through the streets, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation sanitation workers struggled to clean up.
