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Biggest and famous Ganpatis of Mumbai
Mumbaicha Raja
Where: Ganesh Galli, Mumbai
Famous for: Oldest Ganesh pandal in the city
The history: One of the oldest known Ganesh pandals in the state, the Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, Ganesh Galli started the festival in 1928 to inspire people to fight for their rights in the pre-independence era. Throughout the 10 days of the festival, after the evening pooja, the organisers would host plays like the Ramayana and Mahabharata and screen regional movies to raise awareness about India’s rich culture and various art forms.
In the year 1977, the pandal entered its 50th year and to celebrate the occasion, erected a 22 ft idol, which went on to become the first biggest Ganesh idol in the whole of Maharashtra. While the record was subsequently broken by Khetwadicha Raja in the year 2000, the organisers have ensured to keep the idol well over 20 ft since then. This is despite the BMC issuing a warning to restrict the height of idols to 18 feet.
The idol this year: The 22 ft idol designed by Biharilal giri and 200 workers is set against the backdrop of Pashupathinath temple, Nepal. The entrance to the pandal features the 12 famous jyotirlingas in the country.
“A lot of people in our country are religious and due to lack of time and resources are unable to visit the sacred places. Every year, we attempt to replicate one of these temples to make people aware of our culture and heritage and also give them a real-life experience of visiting the place,” shared Swapnil Parab, secretary to the mandal.
Girgaoncha Raja
Where: Girgaon, Mumbai
Famous for: It’s the tallest, eco-friendly idol made of clay
The history: In 1928, Ramchandra Tendulkar, who was the Mandal’s treasurer at that time, started the Ganesh Utsav in the Nikadvari Lane. The speciality of the Ganesh idol at Girgaon is that it is one of the few idols in the state that is made out of clay.
Unlike the regular idols which are made out of Plaster of Paris, the Girgaoncha Raja is made of Shadu clay, a special type of clay which is imported from West Bengal and is also used to make Durga idols for the Durga pooja.
Another tradition here is that since the last 85 years, the Patkar family is in charge of making the idols, which are peculiarly over 20 feet in height every year.
The idol this year: This year, too, the idol is 21 feet high and is sculpted by architect Rajan Patkar. The idol weighs 2 tons.
Sanjay Harmalkar, the secretary to the Mandal informs me that they want to spread the message of eco-friendliness through their clay idols.
“Every year, after the immersion, we see so many fragments of PoP Ganeshas in the sea. Not only is it disrespectful to the idol, but it is also harmful to the environment. The cleaning up also takes longer time. Although difficult to make, the advantage of clay idols is that they melt easily during immersion. On behalf of my Mandal, I’d like to request everyone to choose eco-friendly Ganeshas over PoP ones,” says Harmalkar who has been using the mandal’s Facebook page to spread this message among young people.
Lalbaugcha Raja
Where: Lalbaug, Mumbai
Famous for: It is known to fulfil your wishes
The history: In 1932, a temporary but prime market place in the Peru Chawl area of Lalbaug was shut down by the government. The fishermen and vendors who lost their livelihood decided to pray to Ganesha to help them with a permanent place to do business. Thanks to the efforts of a few councillors in the area, a new market was constructed in the same place.
In celebration, the localites formed the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal in Lalbaug in 1934.
Since Ganesha fulfilled the wish (navas) of the fishermen and vendors, the Lalbaug Ganpati also came to be known as ‘the wish-fulfilling one.’
The first Ganesh idol was incepted on September 12, 1934. Since then, the mandal is thronged with visitors throughout the 10 days of the festival.
The idol this year: The Ganesh idol this year stands 12 feet tall and took two months to be ready. Santosh Kambli, who sculpted the idol this year, belongs to the third generation of architects responsible for the patented design and decorations of the Raja.
The cost of the idol is Rs 60,000, but the decorations and other arrangements work up to 17 lakhs.
During the 10 day event, the pandal is visited by over 1 crore visitors every year and on weekends, organisers inform that it becomes difficult to accommodate people in the 3 lakh sq ft area surrounding the pandal.
Lalbaugcha Raja is also one of the richest Ganeshas in the whole of Maharashtra.
“Our every day collections sometimes round up to a crore. Just yesterday’s collections touched 85 lakhs,” informed Rajendra Lanjwal, treasurer of the mandal.
Lanjwal reveals that the money thus collected is utilised for social purposes under the initiative titled Lalbaugcha Raja Prabhodini. Some of the projects financed under the Lalbaugcha Raja Prabhodini include the Sane Guruji Abhyasika (a place for children to study), Swatantryaveer Savarkar Library, Sant Dnyaneshwar Reference Book Bank, Swami Vivekanand Scholarship (Scholarships for poor and deserving students) and Competitive examination counselling centre (to prepare students for IAS and IPS exams).
Khetwadicha Ganraj
Where: Lane 12, Khetwadi, Mumbai
Famous for: They made the tallest ever Ganesh idol in Maharashtra
The history: When the Khetwadi Mandal was incepted in 1959, it had humble beginnings. However, in 1984, the members of the Mandal started collecting one rupee coins as donation towards their dream of making the largest Ganpati in the state.
With each passing year, the height of the Ganesh idol rose from 28 to 35 feet high. In the year 2000, the Khetwadi Mandal fulfilled their long cherished dream and created history. They made the highest idol of Ganesha — a whopping 40 feet high statue replete in Parshuram Avtar, which is claimed to be the highest idol of Ganesh in the Indian history.
Since then, there has been no looking back for them.
The idol this year: The organisers have tried to recreate Mumbai’s Hare Rama Hare Krishna temple this year. The 15 feet tall idol is made from Plaster of Paris and is adorned by jewels and accessories made of pure gold. It is designed by architect Raju Shinde and claims to be the fourth richest Ganesha this year next to GSB Seva Mandal, Sion, GSB Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti, Wadala and Lalbaugcha Raja.
Over 100 workers have assisted Shinde in completing the idol, which cost the Mandal Rs 1, 20,000. “We spent close to Rs 40 lakhs on the decorations and theme,” added Ranjeet Mathur, President, Khetwadi Mandal.
In the past, this Mandal has recreated themes like the Sheesh Mahal (palace of mirrors), Raj Mahal (Palace of the King), Swarg Mahal (Palace in Heaven) and Deep Mahal (Palace of Lamps).
GSB Samaj Ganeshotsav
Where: Ram Mandir, Wadala
Famous for: Adorned in a 22 karat gold-plated throne and precious jewels, it’s the richest Ganesh idol in the city
The history: The Goud Saraswat Brahmin Samaj started the festival in 1955 with the sole aim of uniting the Goud Saraswat Brahmin community in Mumbai. Over the years, it is said to have answered the prayers of lakhs of people from different communities which went on to attract visitors from various parts of Mumbai. While some of them rewarded in cash, others donated gold and coins to the deity. In the year 2011, the GSB Samaj sought an insurance cover of Rs 222 crore for the idol. Needless to say, the GSB Samaj Ganesha is known to be the richest deity in the city.
The idol this year: The 8-feet high idol adorned in gold and jewels donated by its visitors is a sight to behold.
“We offer various poojas for our visitors throughout the day at subsidised costs. Everyone is equal before God and it is our duty to spread the message through the festival. We want people to experience peace and divinity while they are here,” shared NN Pal, trustee chairman, GSB Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti, Wadala.
Bhandarkarcha Raja
Where: Bhandarkar Road, Matunga East, Mumbai
Famous for: Provides food to over 20,000 people through the festival
The history: In 1962, a few residents from Bhandarkar Road area came together to start the festival and promote a social cause. Unlike the other Ganesh pandals which collect money from locals and residents for the festival, the Bhandarkar Road Sarvajanik Seva Samiti works in peculiar way.
“We don’t go door to door collecting money. Whatever money comes through donations is used to make the idol. Even the jewels and throne are not owned by the mandal. There are some noble people who have agreed to contribute to it. After the festival, they take it with them and provide it again the following year,” informs Rajendra Verma, a committee member who has taken leave from work to look into the arrangements.
The idol this year: The 11-ft idol designed by Ashok Parab stands in a busy street in Matunga. Every child who visits the idol is offered a chocolate bar instead of sweets.
Each evening through the 10-day festival, after the 8 pm aarti, the Samiti provides food to over 20,000 people, most of whom include poor children from the slums. The nearby locals have also allowed them to use the building space below to let senior citizens enjoy the meal in peace.
Andhericha Raja
Where: Andheri, Mumbai
Famous for: Besides fulfilling people’s wishes, the pandal is known to replicate larger-than-life themes every year
The history: About 47 years ago, a few factory workers had moved from Lalbaug area of Mumbai to settle in the western area of Andheri, Mumbai next to their respective factories — the Golden Tobacco Company, Tata Special Steel and Excel Industries Ltd.
These people, missed visiting and celebrating the Ganesh festival in Lalbaug and hence started the Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samitee in 1966 with the festive aim in mind.
Over the years, it has replicated various themes in its pandal which include famous temples like the Akshardham, Somnath, Mangueshi and Saras Baug.
The idol this year: This year Andhericha Raja has replicated the Jain Dilwara temples of Mount Abu, Rajasthan. The idol has been designed by Raju Savla whose family has been entrusted the responsibility of making the Raja since three generations now.
Besides Savla, over 50 workers have contributed towards readying the pandal in two months.
The decoration has alone cost over Rs 30 lakhs, informed a committee member of the mandal.
Unlike the other Ganeshas that are immersed on Anant Chaturthi, this is the only Ganpati which is immersed on Sankashti, which falls five days after Anant Chaturthi.
Like the Lalbaugcha Raja, even Andhericha Raja is a wish fulfilling one, and is visited by over 10 lakh people every year.
Lalbaugcha Raja 2012
First few images of our favorite Lalbaugcha Raja, sourced from various sources.
Source: Rupali Kalav
Source: http://thenagpurguru.blogspot.in/2012/08/firstlook-of-lalbaugcha-raja-2012-mumbai.html
Ganpati comes calling in Ahmedabad
If you have not seen Mumbai’s famous ‘Lal Baug ka Raja’ you can check out its lookalike in Ahmedabad. ‘Lal Baug Ka Raja, Ahmedabad Ka Maharaja’ was installed by the Krishna Mitra Mandal at Naranpura on Wednesday morning. The idol is nine feet tall and made of a mixture of clay and plaster of Paris (PoP).
The idol was gifted to the mandal by Sanjay Dabade and Santosh Kumar from Mumbai. This is the second year that the mandal has brought the lookalike of ‘Lal Baug Ka Raja’ to the city.
Speaking about the fresh elements this year, chairman of the trust Dharmesh Mehta said, “This year, we have introduced special facilities for children of Andhajan mandal and senior citizens of the Naranpura old age home. We have arranged a free pick-up and drop facility for their darshan.”
He also said that a series of cultural activities has been planned for 10 days of the Ganesha festival. “We have arranged for Gujarati folk dance and retro dance competition, Daayro, Gujarati ghazal program, hi-tech laser show and bhajan sandhya for 10 days.”
Artistes like Anup Jalota, Devang Patel, Shahbuddin Rathod, Prince (dancer), Ehsaan Qureshi, Raja Rancho among others will be entertaining the audience at the cultural events.
‘Lalbaugcha Raja’ is a popular ganesh idol in Mumbai. Lakhs of devotees throng the mandal to get a darshan of the beautifully decorated Ganesha idol. It is believed that the lord is a fulfiller of wishes, and lakhs of devotees wait for days in queues to touch the feet of the Elephant God.
Around 50 lakh devotees throng for the darshan of ‘Lalbaugcha Raja’ every year.
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ganpati-comes-calling-in-ahmedabad_1742994
Ganesh Chaturthi festival: Old Ganpati mandals blend pomp & ceremony
The city’s oldest Ganpati mandals that date back to 50-100 years are leading the festivities with a blend of pomp and simplicity.
Mumbai’s first sarvajanik Ganeshotav at Keshavji Naik Chawl, Girgaum, started in 1893. Its idol remains 2.25 ft tall. “This year, residents of the compound will ourselves form theentertainment quotient. We have made a deliberate decision to not invite artistes from outside and have instead purchased eight big dhols for our boys to play. Every weekend, they practise at Wilson Gymkhana so as not to disturb the chawl. We will sing, dance and walk the ramp at a fashion show for which we have engaged professional trainers and consultants,” says president Bhalchandra Gharat.
In Dharavi, art director Manoj Govekar is busy with a prize assignment that marks the centenary of the Arulmigu Shree Maha Ganeshotsav. Govekar is building an extension to the existing south Indian temple. “The mandal was set up by migrants from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu who fled the plague and casteism of that era and come to Mumbai where they set up tanneries,” he says. Music legend Ilayaraja and TN ministers will be feted this year.
The Girgaumcha Maharaja of the Akhil Mugbhat mandal rises 17-ft tall in its 81st year. “Vajpayee, Raj Thackeray, Tina Ambani and Praful Patel have visited us. Our mandal championed the cause for smooth roads for Ganesh processions years ago and was the first to make a foldable trolley for immersion,” says member Sameer Adukar.
An award-winning pandal in Mazgaon is known for hosting royal themes each year. The 9-ft tall Anjirwadi Ganpati will be seated in a Mauryan palace. “Art director Sanjay Dabhade has been working hard at adapting prominent symbols of that reign,” says spokesperson Satyan Kesarkar. It was at this 64-year-old mandal that the mould of an athletic, smiling Ganesh was first cast by sculptor Ratnakar Kambli. The prototype was later adopted by Lalbaugcha Raja organisers and became the popular model it is now.
A likeness of Delhi’s Akshardham Swaminarayan temple is taking shape at the 50-plus Shri Ganesh Mitra Mandal in Mulund. “Art director Bhushan Rodrigues is making a 40-ft pandal along these lines,” says representative Anand Thakkar.
Ganesh Chaturthi: Richest Ganpati mandal of Mumbai gets Rs 224-crore cover
Top officials of insurance companies have their “fingers crossed” in the hope of landing the biggest accounts at Ganeshotsav. The city’s wealthiest mandal, GSB King’s Circle, has sought a cover of Rs 224 crore while Lalbaugcha Raja has trebled its policy from Rs 14 crore to Rs 45 crore.
The premium amount for such a deal would naturally run into several lakhs, an extremely profitable deal for a cover spanning 15-30 days.
Ganesh Chaturthi falls on September 19 and the 10-day festival ends on Anant Chaturdashi on September 29.
Befitting its status as the wealthiest organizer in the city, the GSB Seva Mandal at King’s Circle has insured its celebration for Rs 224 crore. Senior-most trustee Satish Nayak says, “Last year, we took a cover of Rs 220 crore. This season, the figure has risen owing to the value of goldjewellery that adorns the deity.”
So sought after is the competition for the GSB account that the mandal had floated tenders for insurance companies. Around six of India’s leading firms responded with quotations and the mandal will announce a selection shortly. A senior official of New India Assurance says he is “crossing his fingers and is optimistic that the company will beat the competition”. “Ours may not be the lowest quote but it is the most comprehensive,” he says.
Nayak breaks down the component of the policy. “There is an all-risk cover of Rs 22.11 crore and a standard fire policy of Rs 1 crore. A public liability or third-party insurance of Rs 20 crore is included. The lion’s share of Rs 182 crore has been reserved for personal accident cover for 1,819 people, including volunteers, electricians and other labourers. That works out to roughly Rs 10 lakh per head,” he says. A small club in the playground where the mandal hosts its festivities has also been covered for Rs 35 lakh.
The GSB deity is installed for five days unlike the full 10 days that other sarvajanik mandals celebrate but even in this short span, its earnings outdo the rest. “Our visarjan will take place on September 23. Still, the insurance policy spans a duration of 15 days—from September 12 to 27, until the ornaments are safely deposited in bank,” says Nayak.
Over in Lalbaug, the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganeshotsav Mandal has trebled its insurance cover from Rs 14 crore to Rs 45 crore. New India Assurance has netted this deal. “We have raised the personal accident cover for every visitor from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 6.25 lakh. The premium for the entire month works out to Rs 10-11 lakh, which is not too high considering we receive lakhs of devotees,” says Lalbaug treasurer Rajendra Lanjwal.
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Navi Mumbai’s Raja takes on a historical note this year
Vijay Singh, TNN
NAVI MUMBAI: The popular ‘Navi Mumbai Ka Raja’ sarvajanik Ganpati at Turbhe, which is as old as the city of Navi Mumbai itself, celebrates its 41st year with a historical theme-the importance of preserving local heritage.
The Navi Mumbai Raja is also linked with one of Mumbai’s most famous idols, the Lalbaugcha Raja. The 12-foot stall idol, which stands near the ST bus depot in Sector 20 at Turbhe, is made by the same sculptor, Santosh Kambli, who also makes the Lalbaugcha Raja.
True to its conservation message, the Ganpati pandal’s design focuses on presenting the best of Maharashtra-Raigad, Sindhudurg and Janjira forts as well as Ajanta and Ellora caves. The secretary of the mandal, Ankush Vaiti, said: “This year, when devotees visit Navi Mumbai Ka Raja, they will get the chance to see a bit of our history. This priceless heritage of ours must be preserved and respected. That is our message to the people.”
The heritage theme at the venue is designed by art director Nilesh Choudhary. The pandal depicts Raigad fort at the entrance. According to the mandal’s president Dattushet Pati, every year nearly 12 lakh people visit Navi Mumbai Ka Raja during the Lord’s 11-day stay.
Vaiti commented on the “terrible and heartbreaking” sight of liquor bottles, garbage, empty gutkha sachets and ‘paan’ stains that adorn some of the state’s forts and caves. “Tourists even vandalize these sites and write their names on walls that have survived for centuries. Through our Ganpati mandal, we want to drive home the import our responsibility to our cultural and historical heritage,” Vaiti added.
‘Navi Mumbai Ka Raja’ at Turbhe is one of the satellite city’s oldest sarvajanik Ganes mandals.
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A Ganapati idol specially for the sport aficionados
PUNE: They see the elephant God in everything, which explains why the Sanyunkta Prasad Mandal displays Ganapati idols made of the most unusual ingredients: from automobile parts to musical instruments to even sports equipment. And, it is this unusual display that attracts thousands to the mandal every Ganeshotsav.
Ajit Paranjape, president of the mandal, said, “It has been 12 years since we began using different types of materials. The idea is to see God in everything. This concept is potent enough to create respect and love for everything, and that is what we aim to achieve.”
At one point, the mandal volunteers made a Ganapati idol from empty tin paint cans, while at another; they used different types of lamps for the purpose. Also, during one Ganeshotsav, an idol made from cups, trophies and shields shone in the pandal; not to forget the time when an array of musical instruments – flute, violin, sitar and tabla – was used for a similar end.
“We set out to search for the equipment 3-4 months prior to the festival. We visit various outlets, present our theme and concept to the proprietors, who in turn are happy to lend us their equipment. At the close of the festivities, we dismantle the idol and return the material to its rightful owner,” added Paranjape.
This year, the mandal brought together 23 sports equipment – badminton rackets, softballs, cricket pads, table tennis rackets, cricket and boxing gloves, skating shoes, Carrom disks and the like. “Three amateur artistes made the idol within 10-15 days. We chose the sports theme this year because India performed exceptionally well in 2011, the cricket World Cup and Common Wealth Games being a witness to this,” he said.
“The idea is to portray Ganesha blessing sportsmen, by being adorned in sports equipment,” he added.
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Ganpati brings the light of learning to 113 kids
Chetna Yerunkar,
The Upnagaracha Raja mandal in Borivli will be spending Rs 5 lakh, received as donation from devotees, to pay for the education of underprivileged children
In his annual trip to the city, Mumbai’s reigning deity is taking his duties as the patron deity of knowledge rather seriously, spreading the joy of learning among 113 children.
While the city’s wealthiest mandals are busy planning how they will craft lavish backdrops and ornaments for their idols with the stupendous amounts raked in from devotees this year, the Ekta Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandal in Borivli, popularly known as Upnagaracha Raja, is spending all its collections to sponsor the education of 113 impoverished children who live nearby until their parents can afford to do so.
Monetary expenses
For the last 15 years, the mandal has been shouldering the monetary expenses for the education of 50 children each year, but expanded the scheme to bless 63 more kids with the gift of literacy.
The mandal has earmarked a sum of Rs 5 lakh for the same.
Mandal secretary Milind Kolwankar said, “We have been involved in such causes for many years now. There are many underprivileged children living in slums near our pandal, and our aim is to make them literate. We love answering their prayers, which their impoverished families are unable to do.”
Worthy cause
Spokesperson for the mandal Virendra Yadav said, “Our mandal believes in organising Ganeshotsav in a simple way, and we don’t spend much of our collection on ostentatious decorations for the idol: instead we use a large part of what we rake in for a worthy cause. Ganpati is the God of Knowledge. Spreading knowledge is the most pure form of devotion.”
Each year, the mandal distributes pamphlets among devotees, and willing sponsors come forward and contact the mandal to make contributions.
The mandal then uses those funds for the education of local underprivileged children, whose names are added
regularly to a database maintained by it.
The mandal then admits the children to different schools, keeping their language preference in mind.
Besides paying their fees, it provides them with the necessary paraphernalia of education, even paying for the school trips made by them.
One of the beneficiaries of this praiseworthy programme is the Bagwe family from Borivli (East).
The mandal has been sponsoring the education of the Bagwe couple’s daughter for four years now. Pranita, who is now in Std VI, said, “My mother is a domestic helper, and my ailing father has not been able to work for four years.
Our family is crippled financially. The mandal has been taking care of my academic needs. They have also promised to help my four-year-old bother Harshal, who has been admitted to the nursery section in an English medium school.
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Meet the man who dresses up the Lalbaughcha Raja
By Santosh Andhale, DNA
People may be familiar with the names of Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis, fashion designers to the stars. Lalbaug resident Rupesh Pawar, 40, is also a fashion designer but in a wholly different sense.
Among the few tailors in the city who are inundated with requests to dress up Ganesh idols before Ganeshotsav, Pawar literally dresses up the gods.
Pawar has been making costumes for the Ganesh idol for Lalbaughcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshoutsav Mandal (LRSGM), organisers of the most visited pandal in the city, for the past 19 years. This year, around 40 lakh devotees are expected to visit the pandal.
Having Lalbaugcha Raja as a client makes Pawar a popular choice among other Ganesh mandals in the city, but he refuses to work for suburban mandals since he wouldn’t have the time to visit the pandals personally.
Currently, Pawar is making attires for 13 large idols, ranging from 8 to 20 feet in height, and for about 30 small ones which will make their way into people’s homes.
“Whatever I am today is because of Lalbaugcha Raja. I am just a simple tailor but I am recognised because of this Ganesh pandal,” he says modestly.
Pawar takes four hours to make one set of clothes for an idol and begins work two months ahead of the festival. “The mandal has given me the right to choose the colours for the costumes, including the stoles that the idols wear,” he said.
While keeping the attire simple, Pawar has introduced new features over time. Since last year, he has been bringing a special rim from Surat to embellish the dhoti worn by the deity.
“We had to bring the dhoti border from Surat because we do not get this kind of elaborate handmade designs in Mumbai. Sharad Gahdigaonkar and Omkar Pahate are the two people helping me with this job,” added Pawar.
Pawar charges Rs2,000 to Rs2,500 to dress up idols less than eight feet in height and from Rs3,500 to Rs4,500 for the taller ones. But for Lalbaugcha Raja, he does all the work for free. He says, “It is a big honour for me to dress up the king of Mumbai’s Ganeshas.”
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_meet-the-man-who-dresses-up-the-lalbaughcha-raja_1581096
