Lalbaugcha Raja Ganeshotsav makes a comeback with Covid norms

The Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most-visited Ganesh idols during the Ganesh festival in Mumbai, would make a comeback albeit with Covid-19 norms and protocols.

The Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal of Lalbaug in central Mumbai, made a formal announcement on Sunday.

Last year, the trust cancelled the Ganesh festival, which would have been the 87th year in succession, and held blood and plasma donation camps in the wake of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As the spread of Covid-19 is controlled this year, the celebrations will take place following all Covid protocols,” Balasaheb Kamble, president of Lalbaugchba Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Mandal said.

Every year, the trust installs an over 15-feet-tall idol of Lord Ganesha which sees a footfall of 80,000 to one lakh people in a day, and besides commoners, several celebrities and who’s who of India visit the pandal.

The mandal, formerly known as Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Lalbaug was founded in 1934 at Lalbaug Market by locals.

Since that day, this idol became popular as 'Navsacha Ganpati’, the one who fulfils the wishes.

People across the country come to Mumbai and seek blessings of Lord Ganesha during the Ganeshutsav.

It may be mentioned that last month, for the second year in a row, the Maharashtra government had put a cap on any mega-celebrations, processions and crowding during the Ganesh festival and restricted the height of public Ganesh idols to 4 feet and those installed at households to 2 feet.

The Lalbaugcha Raja management trust has decided to install a 4-feet-tall idol and there would not be any physical darshans and instead the rituals would be live-streamed. “Majority of the people living in the vicinity of the pandal and all the volunteers have been vaccinated,” the trust said.