72nd Khairatabad Ganesh Nimajjanam Concludes Smoothly as Thousands Gather at NTR Marg
Hyderabad witnessed the emotional and spectacular culmination of the annual Vinayaka Chavithi festivities on Friday, September 25, 2026, as the legendary Khairatabad Maha Ganapati was immersed in the waters of Hussain Sagar. Celebrated as the epicenter of Telangana’s Ganesh Navaratri celebrations, the 72nd year of the Khairatabad idol drew hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the Telugu states and beyond to witness the final Shobha Yatra and Nimajjanam.
For 2026, the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee sculpted the towering eco-friendly idol under the theme of Sri Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati. Standing tall at nearly 69 to 72 feet, the monumental five-faced idol was flanked by elaborate secondary installations, including depictions of the Somnath Jyothirlinga and Goddess Kalika Mata.
Mater sculptor Chinnaswamy Rajendran and his team of over a hundred artisans spent more than three months assembling the clay, grass, and water-soluble paints, ensuring that the colossal deity retained both artistic majesty and environmental responsibility.
The Grand Shobha Yatra
The immersion day began in the early morning hours with intense preparatory logistics:
Trolley Loading & Safety: Engineering teams utilized specialized heavy hydraulic trailers and mammoth cranes to secure the multi-ton deity onto the moving platform.
The Route: The Shobha Yatra wound through its dedicated corridor—moving past Telephone Bhavan, the Secretariat road, and towards NTR Marg.
Ocean of Devotees: Throngs of devotees lined the rooftops, barricades, and flyovers, showering flowers and gulal amid deafening chants of “Ganapati Bappa Morya, Agle Baras Tu Jaldi Aa” and the rhythmic beat of teenmaar drums.
The Final Nimajjanam at Hussain Sagar
Traditionally, civic authorities prioritize the Khairatabad Ganesh so that the central immersion corridor opens up for the thousands of community idols streaming in behind it, including the famed procession following the Balapur Ganesh auction.
Positioned at Crane No. 4 along NTR Marg, the idol was hooked up to the specialized mega-crane under the close watch of the Hyderabad City Police, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), and HYDRAA response units. By Friday afternoon at approximately 2:25 PM, the giant murti was smoothly submerged into the waters of Hussain Sagar, culminating 11 days of uninterrupted spiritual fervor.
The successful visarjan marked another seamless chapter in Hyderabad’s rich socio-cultural tapestry, blending heritage, faith, and precision urban logistics.
