Hyderabad’s Ganesh pandals blend tradition with creativity

Explore creative and unique Ganesh pandals in Hyderabad, blending tradition with contemporary themes like Cricket World Cup and Ram Temple.

Walking along the lanes of Shanti Nagar in Hyderabad’s Kukatpally area, one can spot numerous Ganesh pandals. However, the one near the Bharat Vikas Charitable Trust stands out. This modest pandal, taking up about a quarter of the road, is themed around the Cricket World Cup.

Inside, the artificial walls are adorned with posters of Indian cricketers, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and a celebratory image of the Indian Cricket Team holding the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy from earlier this year. “Every year, we choose a theme that highlights a significant national event. Last year, it was Chandrayaan-3,” says Vinod, one of the organisers.

The entire decoration was done by the students of Nagarjuna Model High School, located adjacent to the pandal. “The World Cup theme attracts people to visit the pandal and seek Lord Ganesha’s blessings,” adds Vinod.

Across Hyderabad, among thousands of Ganesh pandals, some stand out for their creative themes, which blend tradition with contemporary relevance.

In Kachiguda, near Kutbi Nagar, one pandal features a unique take: a large orange idol of Lord Hanuman, with a clay-coloured idol of Lord Ganesha in one hand and a laddu in the other. “While most are setting up traditional Ganesh idols, we wanted something unique,” explains one of the organisers.

Another example of creativity is the Balapur Ganesh pandal, which this year features a theme inspired by the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The pandal resembles the temple in Ayodhya with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ written on the outside. Last year, the theme was the Yadadri Temple.

Meanwhile, at the Khairatabad Ganesh pandal, Sunday saw crowds of devotees forming queues to seek blessings. “I come twice every year, once in the beginning and again in the last days,” says Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Borabanda. Even the light spell of rain in the evening didn’t deter the devotees.