Zarafshan ShirazNew Delhi
South Mumbai has already unveiled the 12 feet tall idol of Lalbaugcha Raja, which is one of the most famous and revered idols of Ganesha in Mumbai, India that is installed and worshipped during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival with great enthusiasm and devotion in the city, other parts of Maharashtra and different states in India for 10 days. Though Lalbaugcha Raja today holds a special place in the hearts of Mumbaikars and has become an integral part of the city’s cultural and religious landscape, its tradition dates back to 1934 when the first idol was installed by the Lalbaug Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal after which it became an iconic symbol of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai.
The idol is known for its impressive size and intricate decorationas it is usually adorned with elaborate ornaments, clothing and a majestic backdrop that devotees and artisans spend months preparing for hence, Lalbaugcha Raja attracts a massive crowd of devotees from all over Mumbai and beyond during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival where people stand in long queues for hours to get a glimpse of the idol and seek Ganesha’s blessings. It is widely believed among Hindu devotees that Lalbaugcha Raja is a “Navsacha Ganpati“, which means the “fulfiller of wishes” therefore, the devotees visit the idol to offer prayers and make various requests, believing that their wishes will be granted before Lalbaugcha Raja is immersed in water on Anant Chaturdashi to mark the end of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
The actual pandal in Mumbai with the Lalbaugcha Raja idol is installed at Lalbaug Police Station in Lalbaug Market of South Mumbai from where the queue for the Charan-Sparsh is expected to start on Babasahed Ambedkar road with about 5,000 people in attendance at the venue for darshan at any time. In recent years, organisers have made arrangements for devotees to have a “live darshan” or virtual viewing of Lalbaugcha Raja through webcams and live streams, making it accessible to a global audience since it symbolises the spirit of devotion, unity and celebration that surrounds the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai.
During Ganesh Chaturthi this year, the darshan is reported to begin with an aarti at 4am on September 19, 2023 following which, the darshan will remain open round-the-clock till visarjan day on September 28, 2023. Here’s where you can watch Lalbaugcha Raja LIVE darshan:
Official website –: https://lalbaugcharaja.com/en/
Youtube Channel -: https://youtube.com/user/LalbaugRaja
Facebook Page -: https://m.facebook.com/LalbaugchaRaja
Instagram Account -: https://instagram.com/lalbaugcharaja
Twitter Account -: https://twitter.com/lalbaugcharaja
