Heavy rains did not stop large crowds from gathering at Hyderabad’s Khairatabad Ganesh pandal on Monday, with queue lines stretching around the venue as devotees arrived to view the 69-foot-tall Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapathi idol.
The packed venue prompted the Ganesh Utsav Committee and local police to organise queue lines for visitors. Police and railway police were also deployed near the level crossing leading to Khairatabad Ganesh, close to Khairatabad Metro station, as authorities prepared for the heavy rush.
The arrangements were aimed at managing movement around one of Hyderabad’s most prominent Ganesh festival venues while rain continued in the city. Telangana Today reported that crowds continued to pour in despite the weather, with the area witnessing what it described as an unprecedented surge of devotees.
The idol, presented as an eco-friendly deity, is the central attraction at the Khairatabad pandal. The scale of the gathering has also placed attention on the access points around the venue, including the road and railway crossing near the metro station where police personnel were stationed.
The festival also featured a traditional offering by members of Padmashali Sangham. The group honoured the Khairatabad Bada Ganesh with a specially crafted 75-foot kanduva, or sacred towel, a grand jandhyam, or sacred thread, and a garika mala made of durva grass. The offering was presented for the fifth consecutive year and combined religious observance with the community’s craftsmanship.
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and his spouse visited the Khairatabad Ganesh pandal and attended the first pooja. Their visit took place as devotees gathered in large numbers at the venue.
Police and railway police deployment near the Khairatabad Metro station level crossing remains part of the crowd-management arrangements reported for the festival. The Ganesh Utsav Committee and local police are continuing to regulate queue movement as visitors arrive at the pandal.
