Ganesh Chaturthi and the ensuing 10 day festival is more than just any celebration in India. Most parts of the city have large deities sitting atop wooden platforms in different forms mostly spiritual while a few others have comical appearances embracing the new trends. A few of the deities are valued more than just any other deities just like in the temples but with greater reverence and higher density of footfalls. One such place is Lalbagcha Raja, Mumbai where devotees flock to just have a glimpse of the Lord Ganesh.
Mumbai's most loved Ganpati diety at the Lalbaugcha Raja has received more reverence than ever after the 10 day festival begun on Wednesday with Ganesh Chaturthi. Catching a glimpse of the face of the Elephant lord itself is near impossible. Mukh Darshan is granted to the determined who stand in the queues for long while touching the divine feet is granted only to a blessed few.
The darshan begun at 7 am on Wednesday but several people expressed that they had difficulties in merely seeing their loved god.
People had started queuing at the location even before the festival began. “For the past three years, I visited the Lalbaugcha Raja, but did not get to touch his feet. I only got mukh darshan. I decided I will start the queue this year and hence, stood in the line from 12.30pm on Saturday,” Pathania who works in an import-export firm told a news agency. He mentions that he was determined to do anything to have the blessing from Lalbaugcha Raja for the sake of his 27 year old sister's wedding.
Pathania says, “I feel proud that I am the first in the queue and will be the first to get Raja’s darshan. The mandal organisers have been very helpful and cooperative,” he said.
Pathania is just one among the million such determined devotees whose footfalls have crowded the divine location's navasachi raang (queue where people promise something to the god if their wishes are fulfilled). Devotees had to sacrifice the luxuries standing in the queue, bathing and changing clothes in a public bath while eating light foods and fruit juices mostly. The spiritual chants from the people present in the Navsachi Raang makes the atmosphere serene.
Organizers at Lalbaugcha Raja had been surprised to see this level of devotion. Little did they know that people would start queuing 4 days before the festival. “We expected people to queue up a day before the festival, but devotees have been standing in the line since Saturday,” said Ashok Pawar, president of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal.
Last year there were 50 Lakh visitors and the organizers expect the number to rise by another 10 lakh. Hoarding have been set up to notify that the queues may take more than a day and breakfast has also been served in the queues.
(AW- Anil)
