Hyderabad, June 26 -- Preparations for Hyderabad's iconic Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav began on Thursday, June 25, with the traditional Karra Puja, as the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee unveiled this year's theme for the city's famed 69-foot eco-friendly idol.

The committee announced that the towering idol will depict 'Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati', a form of Lord Ganesha believed to remove obstacles and protect devotees. Sculptor Chinnaswamy Rajendran, who has been associated with the Khairatabad idol for nearly four decades, said the idol will also feature a 15-foot Somnath Jyothirlinga on its right side and Kalika Mata on the left.

Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 14, and the committee has begun work nearly t...