In this article, we bring you the History of Khairtabad Ganesh, Idol cost & a lot more. We are also revealing the height of Khairatabad Ganesh 2023 which is all set to break its previous records.

Origin of Khairatabad Ganesh

In the year 1954, a significant event unfolded in the heart of Hyderabad, touching the hearts of many. A humble one-foot-tall idol of Lord Ganesh made its debut, marking the commencement of a cherished tradition.

This event was orchestrated to honor the revered festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. The visionary behind this initiative was Singari Shankaraiah, a venerable figure who not only played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for independence but also served as a respected member of the city’s council.

Shankaraiah drew inspiration from the wise words of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who advocated for celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi as a unifying force back in 1893.

Over the span of ten days, a joyous and vibrant festival takes center stage, drawing a multitude of devotees. Enthusiasts from various corners of the city and beyond make a pilgrimage to Khairatabad, allured by the divine aura of the occasion.

The festivities resemble a grand communal gathering, a harmonious blend of faith and celebration. However, as the eleventh day dawns, a poignant moment arrives. The beloved idol of Lord Ganesh, having absorbed the devotion and adoration of the devotees, is respectfully immersed in the serene waters of Hussain Sagar Lake. This ritual signifies a temporary farewell, a poignant yet respectful gesture of bidding adieu to the deity who graced the festival with his presence.

In the tapestry of this narrative, a distinguished artisan emerges, Chinnaswamy Rajendran. Before his association with the creation of Ganesh idols, he showcased his artistic prowess by crafting captivating sets for the cinematic world in South India.

However, destiny had grander plans for him, and from 1978 onwards, he embarked on a new journey as the custodian of the Ganesh idol’s design.

In essence, the tale of Khairatabad Ganesh is a testament to unity, devotion, and cultural legacy. It illuminates how a diminutive idol can kindle profound emotions and unite communities. This revered tradition, ignited by a single spark of inspiration in 1954, continues to illuminate hearts with its radiance, rekindling the flames of spirituality and togetherness year after year.

Cost of Khairatabad Ganesh Idol

The Big Idol 2019, which was 61 feet tall (about 19 meters), was made and it cost ₹1 crore (which is around US$130,000) and is the costliest to date. Can you believe it? About 4 million devotees came to see it during the 10-day festival. And guess what? It was the tallest Ganesh idol in all of India that year.

The history behind Height of Khairatabad Ganesh

From the year 1954 to 2014, something quite interesting happened with the idol. It’s like the idol grew a bit taller each year. Imagine, every year it went up by one foot until it reached a really tall 60 feet in 2014 (that’s about 18 meters!).

But then, there was a decision made by the folks who organized everything. They thought it was a good idea to make the idol a bit shorter. The decision came after the High Court said that the idol shouldn’t be taller than 20 feet (around 6.1 meters). So, from that point on, they started making the idol a bit smaller.

But guess what? In 2019, something special happened. The people who love the idol, the devotees, asked if they could make it a bit taller again. And you know what? They did! So, in 2019, the idol reached a height of 61 feet (which is about 19 meters).

It’s like a journey of heights – from growing every year to becoming a bit shorter, and then going a bit taller again because of the love from the devotees. The idol’s height might change, but its place in the hearts of people remains big and strong.

Height of 2023 Khairatabad Ganesh

This year (2023) Khairtabad Ganesh is all set to break its all previous records as the organizing committee has announced that this year’s idol will be standing 63 feet tall. This will be the first time in the history of Khairatabad Ganesh that a 63-foot idol will be made will eco-friendly materials and colors.

The story of Khairatabad Ganesh Laddu

The Khairatabad Ganesh is famous for something really yummy – a sweet treat called laddu, which is given as a special offering, like a gift from the gods. Let’s dive into the Laddu story!

Starting from the year 2009 and going back in time until 1954, a small but heavy 50-kilogram laddu was put near the Ganesh statue. But then things changed. From 2010 to 2015, a sweet maker named PVVS Mallikarjun Rao, also known as Malli Babu did something really cool.

He made a giant laddu all the way in a village called Tapeswaram. This village is in Andhra Pradesh. The laddu became famous as the “Tapeswaram laddu” and it weighed 500 kilograms when it first appeared in 2010.

Guess what? Year by year, it became even bigger! In 2015, it reached a whopping 6000 kilograms. That’s super-duper-heavy – the heaviest laddu the idol ever got! Then, a change happened. In 2016, the people who take care of the Ganesh festival asked Malli Babu to make a smaller laddu, about 600 kilograms.

They said giving out such a big laddu to everyone was getting tricky. Malli Babu wasn’t too happy, and he decided not to give laddus for Khairatabad anymore. He said the festival organizers didn’t follow their deal, so he stopped.

But wait, there’s more! In 2016, Malli Babu made a ginormous Laddu that weighed 29,465 kilograms. This massive laddu went to another Ganesh idol in a place called Visakhapatnam, and it got a spot in the Guinness World Records! Quite an achievement, right? After 2016, a new group took over the Laddu duty.

It’s a family that runs a business making air-coolers. They started giving a laddu that weighed 62 kilograms in 2016. Over the years, they kept making bigger laddus. By 2021, the laddu reached a weight of 1,100 kilograms.

That’s like having a small car made of laddu! Once the special prayers are done, the giant laddu is shared among the people who come to visit. Imagine, every year, around 2,000 to 3,000 folks get a piece of this delicious treat.

But in 2015, there were so many people that things got really crowded, almost like a big rush. The police had a hard time controlling the crowd because some barriers broke. So, they had to stop the laddu distribution for a bit to make sure everyone was safe. And that’s the story of the amazing Laddu journey at the Khairatabad Ganesh festival!

Modern Celebrations

In 2013, a big Ganesh statue, about 59 feet tall (that’s around 18 meters), was set up. And guess what? They put a huge laddu from Tapeswaram, weighing about 4,000 kilograms, right in its palm. That’s like a big cake in the statue’s hand! But oh no, the rain came and the laddu got all wet and damaged. So, they had to put it in the Hussain Sagar Lake.

Next year, in 2014, the Ganesh statue got even taller, reaching 60 feet (18 meters). This was to celebrate 60 years since it all started. In 2018, they made another Ganesh statue, this time 57 feet tall. They used lots of stuff like Plaster-of-Paris, steel, clay, and paint to build it.

The year 2019 was special because they made the tallest Ganesh statue ever in Khairatabad. It was 61 feet tall (around 19 meters)! Can you believe that? Lots and lots of people, about 4 million, came to see it during the festival. It was the tallest Ganesh statue in all of India that year.

But then, in 2020, things changed. Because of a big sickness called COVID-19, they made a shorter Ganesh statue, only 9 feet tall (that’s about 2.7 meters). People from other places couldn’t come to see it because of the sickness. Still, some folks came to visit the idol even with all the rules.

In 2021, the Ganesh statue couldn’t be as tall as before. They limited it to 40 feet (around 12 meters) because of some road problems to the Hussain Sagar Lake. The folks who organized the festival even got experts to design a special turban for the statue’s head. But during the time when the idol was put in the water, people forgot about the sickness rules and didn’t stay safe.

So, from tall to short and everything in between, the Khairatabad Ganesh has seen many changes over the years. Each year brings a new chapter in its story, showing how people’s love and devotion stay strong no matter what challenges come their way.

Khairtabad Ganesh Photo Gallery