Hyderabad, Sept. 14: Telangana Governor Shivpratap Shukla and his wife performed the first puja to the 69 foot Panchamukha Sankatahara Mahaganapati in Khairatabad on Monday.
The puja was held on the occasion of Vinayaka Chaturthi. Priests performed special rituals for the idol installed by the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee.
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender and committee members welcomed the Governor and his wife.
After the puja, Ponnam Prabhakar offered silk robes to the idol. Members of the Padmasali Sangam also offered a shawl and yajna pavitram.
Khairatabad Ganesh Draws Devotees Amid Heavy Rain
Devotees were allowed to have darshan after the first puja. Despite heavy rain, large crowds gathered at Khairatabad.
The committee is celebrating its 72nd year. This year, it installed a 69 foot high and 28 foot wide clay idol.
The Panchamukha Ganapati has five faces and eight arms. The idol depicts the deity seated on a lotus under the five hooded Adisesha.
The right side features the Ankusha, Trishula, Lotus and Abhayahastha. The left side features the Pasha, Parashu, Mala and Modaka.
A Somnath Jyotirlinga is placed on the right side of the idol at a height of around 20 feet. Kalika Mata is placed on the left side.
Meanwhile, police have strengthened security arrangements for the expected crowds.
Around 700 police personnel have been deployed for law and order duties. Barricades and dedicated queue lines have also been arranged.
Police have also focused on traffic management around Khairatabad. Authorities are taking measures to prevent untoward incidents as lakhs of devotees are expected.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
