VISAKHAPATNAM: Towering at a height of 117-foot, the ‘Sri Anantha Panchamukha Maha Ganapathi’ idol at the Lanka Grounds in Visakhapatnam’s Gajuwaka is set to be the country’s tallest eco-friendly Ganesh idol.
As many as 24 artisans from West Bengal and Odisha have been working on the idol, made entirely with clay and hay, for the past 55 days. A total of five tonnes of clay sourced from Anakapalle district and Kolkata has been used. The project is led by renowned artist Kothakonda Nagesh from Telangana.
Speaking to TNIE, K Ganesh Kumar, the organiser, said, “A statue of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy will also be on display. This year, we are reducing the number of stalls and allocating more space for devotees to walk and park, ensuring their convenience. We will also create a dedicated kids’ zone so the young ones can have an enjoyable experience.”
Responding to criticism regarding substantial investment in creating large idols for a brief period, Ganesh expressed, “Many individuals find employment and earn a living through this festival. Numerous artists, who have been facing financial challenges due to lack of opportunities, enthusiastically embrace these jobs.”
Further, he explained, “Moreover, before the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Khairatabad was renowned for its grand and fervent Vinayak Chavithi celebrations. Now, we aspire for Gajuwaka to receive similar recognition, not merely for the sake of fame, but because such celebrations have the power to unite people and communities, fostering a collective spirit for celebrating festivals together.”
Further, he added that artisans are using iron rods on the back of the idol to give it extra support. The festival organisers are taking special care this year as they had to advance the immersion of the idol (89 feet) last year after cracks were noticed on it.
Dondaparthy gets taller idol
Meanwhile, the 102-foot idol from last year, which held the distinction of being the tallest clay idol in the two Telugu States, will once again grace the Dondaparthy area in Visakhapatnam. However this year, it stands at an impressive height of 108 feet and bears the name ‘Vishnu Murthy Avatharam.’ It is constructed entirely from clay and hay.
“A dedicated team of 10 skilled artisans from Kharagpur has been crafting the idol for the past 70 days with nearly two to three tonnes of clay sourced from West Bengal. The festivities will culminate with Visakhapatnam Sarada Peetham Swaroopanandendra Swamy offering prayers at the pandal, followed by the immersion of the idol,” Ward corporator Sarweswar Reddy, the organiser of the Dondaparthy festival since 2019, told TNIE.