Shri Shirdi Sai Speaks - 5th Sept/ Lalbaugcha Raja 2011 in Mumbai , Maharashtra -India

Om Sai Ram

Lalbaugcha Raja 2011 in Mumbai , Maharashtra - India

History of Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandal

The Mandal, formerly known as 'Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Lalbaug' was founded in the year 1928, because of a vow (Navas) for construction of the present Lalbaug Market at its existing place. The market place at Peru Chawl was shut down in 1932. Hence, the fishermen and vendors who used to sit in the open place vowed to Ganesha for permanent place for their market. With the consistent efforts and support of the then local Councillor-Late Shri. Kuwarji Jethabhai Shah, Dr. V. B. Korgaonkar, Shri. Nakhawa Kokam Mama, Bhausaheb Shinde, Dr. U. A. Rao and the local residents, the landlord Rajabai Tayyabali agreed to give a plot for construction of a market. As fulfillment of their wish, the fisherman and the traders established the Ganesh Idol on 12 September 1934. The idol was dressed in the customary fashion of fisherman. Since that day onwards, this Lord Ganesh has become popular as it fulfills the wishes of devotees. The Mandal was formed in the era when the freedom struggle was at its peak.

Due to the communal riots in 1946, orders were issued to change the route of this Ganesh Immersion Procession. But, the then office-bearers of the Mandal refused to change the route and, after 21 days, the procession was taken by the same route under the supervision of then Volunteers Pandurang alias Babu Sayle, M. S. Pawar and Dattaram Joshi. After independence, the agenda of the Mandal was modified and accordingly the Mandal decided to contribute in uplift of the Country. The Mandal donated its balance amount to the Kasturba Fund, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Fund in 1947 and to Bihar Flood Relief Fund in 1959. The social issues were also highlighted in the plots during Ganesh Festival.

                      Since then, Lalbaugcha Raja has been in demand for many years. Now, office-bearers of the mandal have become the most sought after people in the city as they can help you to bypass the long queues for darshan. Without their assistance, it can take anywhere from 10 to 12 hours of waiting to get a darshan of the lord during Ganeshotsav

Fed up of the endless calls throughout the day — with everyone from ministers to the aam aadmi on the line — the office-bearers of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal (LRSGM), have for the first time issued advertisements on 100 BEST buses saying devotees will have to stand in queue for more than 12 hours if they want to touch the idol’s feet. There are no set rules for priority darshan, but on humanitarian grounds, the mandal allows pregnant women, those with infants, and the handicapped to bypass the queues. This is the only mandal in the city where devotees have to stand in queue for over 12 hours to touch the idol’s feet. For mukhdarshan, or a mere viewing of the idol, people have to wait for two to three hours. Barely two days after the Lalbaugcha Raja set foot in the city, the collections in the donation boxes have crossed Rs1 crore, the most in a two-day period at the mandal. The first day collections totalled to Rs49.15 lakh as against 36 lakh last year, while the second day collections closed at Rs 52.1 lakh as on Saturday evening. The Lalbaugcha Raja has become the city's most sought after Ganesh idol over the last few decades, with devotees waiting in queues for hours together just to catch a five-second glimpse of the 'wish-fulfilling deity'. Located at Lalbaug market, Lalbaugcha Raja is one of the oldest sarvajanik (public) Ganesh festivals of Mumbai established in 1934.During the pre-Independence era, the festival was used as a platform by the prominent leaders to generate opinion against the British empire Lalbaugcha Raja is truly a King in all respects and it pays to seek his audience If you want to see the lengths people are prepared to go to for devotion, the Lalbaugcha Raja is the idol to visit. It draws an average of 1.5 million people a day -- astonishing! People simply believe that this Ganesh idol can fulfill their wishes, and there's a lot of media attention on it. There are two main lines to see the idol: a general line, and line for those wanting to make a vow or get a wish fulfilled (navas). The navas line takes devotees right to the idol's feet, whereas the general line offers viewing (darshan) from a distance of around 10 meters away. Until recently, it was common for the navas line to stretch snake-like for over five kilometers. However the organizer has started providing huge air conditioned tents in the adjacent ground to accommodate everyone. The procession for the immersion (visarjan) starts out at 10 a.m. from the Lalbaug market on the final day of the festival, and takes the following route: Lalbaug, Bharat Mata Theatre, Lalbaug, Sane Guruji Marg, Byculla Railway Station, Clare Road, Nagpada, Dunkan Road, Don Taki, Sant Sena Maharaj Marg (Kumbharwada), Suthar Gully, Madhav Baug, C.P. Tank, V.P. Road, Opera House, Girgaon Chowpatti. My Saakshaat Pranams to this wish fulfilling Lalbaugcha Raja.May His blessed darshan make all our wishes and dreams come true and may our soul rest at the holy feet of this Deva. Quote of BABA: God does not like big subscriptions and dona­tions collected against the wishes of the donors, but He likes even trifling amounts given with love, devotion and appre­ciation "Vakratunda Mahakaya, Suryakoti Samaprabha, Nirvighnam Kurumi Deva, Sarva Karyesu Sarvada