Begum Bazaar Ganesha idol adorned with 383,800 American diamonds

Eight workers worked on it for eight months

Metro India News | Hyderabad

A 24-carat gold-plated idol of Lord Ganesha, decorated with 383,800 American diamonds, has been installed at Lichi Pearl Set Jewels in Begum Bazar to mark Ganesh Chaturthi. Adhar Agarwal, organiser at Lichi Pearl Set Jewels, said the idol was specially made for this year's celebrations. He added that the installation marks the jewellery store's third year celebrating the festival.

Agarwal said, "We have created this 24-carat gold-plated Lord Ganesha idol. We have been installing Ganesha idols for the past two years, and this is our third year of celebrations. This year, we wanted to do something special, so with Lord Ganesha's blessings, we commissioned this beautiful idol."

He said the idol is made of brass and uses five different metals. At the back arch of the idol, a glimpse of Dasavataram has been incorporated, while Balaji is placed at the top, with Saraswati and Lakshmi on the sides.

"The idol is completely studded with 3,83,800 American diamonds. These are the same things used in our fashion jewellery. So we thought of giving a jewellery touch to the idol. Whatever raw materials are used in our fashion jewellery, the same raw materials we have used in the idol," Agarwal said.

He said the idol was intricately crafted, with each stone hand-fitted, and eight workers had worked on it day and night for eight months.

"We have a team of card designers. We have a team of casting people. We have a team of stone setters, and we have a team of polishing workers also. So they are working day and night, and they have crafted this beautiful idol out of it," Agarwal said.

He said the base design of the idol was inspired by Lalbagh ka Raja and added that, being born and brought up in Hyderabad's Old City, the team had a connection with the Ganpati festival.

"Old City has a special place for the Ganpati festival. So from childhood itself, we had a feeling like we should do something special. But this time Lord Ganesha gave us a chance. They made us capable of doing something special. So we made this beautiful idol out of it," he said.