Hyderabad: In a departure from the past, the massive Ganesh idol installed at the famous pandal at Khairatabad here was immersed in the Hussain Sagar lake on Tuesday afternoon, the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.

In the past, the immersion of the Khairatabad idol, popular among devotees for its huge size, used to take place towards the end of the mega event. A 57-feet tall idol was installed at Khairatabad for worship this year. However, authorities and the organisers began the process of removing supporting structures from the main idol since Monday itself. The idol was put on a giant crane in the morning. It was immersed in the Hussain Sagar lake by 2 pm on Tuesday after travelling a distance of about two kilometers. During the festivities, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and other leaders offered prayers to the Khairatabad idol.

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Amid tight security arrangements, thousands of idols were immersed in the Husssain Sagar lake and other water bodies across the city. Thousands of idols of different sizes and colours, installed at various places here during the festivities, were taken by the devotees for immersion.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the police had made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the immersion rituals. The civic body has arranged for immersion at 23 water bodies in the city, mayor B Rammohan said.