Ganesh Chaturthi as a festival has been celebrated for centuries in India, but the concept of celebrating this festival as a public event, with idols installed in public places, began in 1893. Lokmanya Tilak, one of the grand old men from India’s freedom struggle, transformed this festival from a family-only event, to a public event.
His rationale behind doing this was to unite the people of India in the name of God, and thus bring together the society, which was fragmented by caste, class and religious dividers, to fight in unison against the British, in India’s independence movement.
This way of celebration became hugely popular, especially in Mumbai, and this tradition has been carried forward with great pomp and vigour for decades now. Tilak’s purpose has been served successfully, with people from all backgrounds, be it religious, caste-based, class-based, income-based or ethnicity-based, celebrate this festival with the same vigour.
Given the freedom of religious practice available, new mandals install Ganesh idols every year, and the festival gets bigger and bigger each year. These new mandals are of various sizes, depending on the size of the lane available to set these up.
However, if one wants to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi Mumbai style, here are the four mandals you cannot miss:
Lalbaugcha Raja
Lalbaugcha Raja is unarguably the most popular and most thronged Ganpati mandal in Mumbai. It gets its name from the where the idol is installed each year – Lalbaug, a locality in Parel, Mumbai.
The idol set up in Lalbaug is popular among people as the granter of one’s wishes. First set up as a modest idol, by a group of fishermen, in 1934, today, this mandal is thronged by lakhs of visitors each day, during the Ganesh festival.
People from all walks of life, be it affluent or poor, visit this mandal religiously, and the offerings, which include money, gold, silver, and other precious items, run into crores of rupees each year.
Being the epicentre of lakhs of people coming together, the security arrangements are not nautch. In the past few years, more efforts have been taken to ease the darshan, which otherwise takes 3-4 hours of standing in queues, for elderly people, pregnant women and disable people.
To rush you get when u watch Mumbai come together as one is invaluable, and Lalbaugcha Raja is the place to go to, to experience that.
Closest Railway Station: This mandal is at a walking distance from Parel, Chinchpokli and Currey Road stations, on the Central Railway Line.
Official website: lalbaugcharaja.com/
Ganesh Galli
Located a few alleys from Lalbaugcha Raja, this mandal at Ganesh Galli in Parel, is another popular one, visited by many, most of them who visit Lalbaugcha Raja. In 1928, a group of fishermen who had vowed to set up a mandal if their wishes came true, started the practice of organizing the Ganesh mahotsav celebrations in Parel, Mumbai. Originally known as Mumbaicha Raja, it began to be known as Ganesh Galli as the event became a tradition and the locality became synonymous with the mandal.
Famous for its innovative themes, this mandal often organizes social service workshops in the sidelines of the celebrations, like blood donation camps, and so on.
Closest Railway Station: This mandal is at a walking distance from Parel and Currey Road stations, on the Central Railway line.
Official website: mumbaicharaja.co/
GSB Seva Mandal
The GSB Ganpati mandal, one of the most popular Ganesh mandals in Mumbai, sets the stage either at Kings Circle each year. The celebrations at this mandal are organized and coordinated by the Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) group. The GSBs are a sect of Brahmins originally from Karnataka, in South India.
This mandal is popular for housing the most expensive Ganpati idol every year. Adorned with numerous gold ornaments and other precious jewels, this mandal is a place on cannot miss.
Closest Railway Station: This mandal is at a walking distance from Matunga station on Central Railway’s main line, and Kings Circle station on Central Railway’s harbour line.
Official website: gsbsevamandal.org
Khetwadicha Ganraj
Set up in Khetwadi, Girgaum, this Ganpati idol is the most spectacular of all idols that are set up during Ganesh mahotsav. This mandal was started in 1959, and has consistently installed idols year after year, with devotees visiting without fail. It is widely known for being decked in pure gold and diamonds, during its installation.
It attained more fame than it had earlier, when in 2000, it made history as the tallest Ganpati statue installed for the festival, with the idol standing 40 feet tall. Visiting this mandal on the last day of Ganesh Mahotsav can be a convenient way to partake in the immersion procession that takes place. Dancing and chanting mantras all the way from the mandal to Girgaum Chowpatti beach is a quicker and an easier route for this idol, than most others.
Nearest Railway Station: This mandal is at a walking distance from Marine Lines station on the Western Railway line, and from Sandhurst Road station on the Central Railway line.
Official website: khetwadichaganraj.com/
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