First look of Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja unveiled ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 24 : The first look of Mumbai's famous Lalbaugcha Raja was unveiled on Sunday evening, days ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Crafted with unmatched artistry, Lalbaugcha Raja isn't merely an idol; it's a symbol of collective faith, artistic mastery, and the vibrant spirit of Mumbai.

Every year, millions of devotees come here for darshan. The unveiling of the Lalbaugcha Raja, the iconic Ganesh idol, is also one of the main attractions of the festival.

The history of the Lalbaugcha Raja is quite famous, as it is the popular Ganesh Idol of Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, located at Putlabai Chawl, a worship place founded in 1934.

The Lalbaugcha Raja Ganapati idol has been taken care of by the Kambli family for over eight decades. Ganesh Chaturthi, a ten-day festival that starts on the fourth day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month 'Bhadrapada', will start on August 27 this year. This auspicious ten-day festival starts with 'Chaturthi' and ends on 'Anantha Chaturdashi'.

The festive period is also known as 'Vinayak Chaturthi' or 'Vinayak Chavithi'. The festival celebrates Ganesha as the 'God of New Beginnings' and the 'Remover of Obstacles' as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence.

It is celebrated with much fanfare in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, with lakhs of devotees converging into mandals to seek blessings from Lord Ganesh.

For the festivities, people bring Lord Ganesh idols to their homes, observe fasts, prepare mouth-watering delicacies, and visit pandals during the festival.

For the past decade, a Mumbai-based artisan has been quietly revolutionising the way devotees celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, crafting Ganpati idols out of eco-paper instead of traditional clay or POP.

With 10-12 years of experience, this innovator swears by the many advantages of their unique idols: they're lightweight, unbreakable, easily dissolvable in water, and most importantly, highly recyclable.

"The biggest USP of our paper, Ganpati, is that it's a breeze to carry and absolutely eco-friendly," the artisan explained.

Using a mixture of calcium powder, carefully processed paper pulp, and layered paper interiors, the process ensures every idol is not only sturdy and attractive, but can also be fully recovered for recycling after immersion, provided it's done in artificial ponds or at home.

Unlike traditional clay idols, which, while eco-friendly, are notably burdensome in weight, a standard 2-foot clay Ganpati can tip the scales at 20kg.

In contrast, a paper Ganpati of the same size weighs only about 2.5-3kg."It makes a world of difference for families who travel back to their native towns for the festival," said the maker.

The idol's durability means it can withstand even the roughest courier journeys, making it ideal for long-distance travel."These idols are going international, too," the artisan shared with pride.

With Ganesh Chaturthi approaching, Nagpur's historic Chitar Oli market has transformed into a vibrant hub, with artisans working tirelessly to make beautifully designed Ganesh idols. The generations-old families continue their age-old tradition of murti-making (idol making) in preparation for the Ganesh Chaturthi.

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways on August 20 announced that it will operate 392 special train trips during Ganesh Chaturthi to facilitate passenger travel and ease congestion during the festival.

The service will run from August 21 to September 10, the Railways said in a post on X, "For the convenience of passengers during Ganesh Chaturthi, Indian Railways has announced 392 train trips."

Earlier in July, the Maharashtra government declared the public Ganeshotsav as the "Maharashtra State Festival."

The announcement was made in the Legislative Assembly by Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, who said the tradition of public Ganeshotsav was started in Maharashtra in 1893 by Lokmanya Tilak. "This festival is deeply rooted in social, national, freedom, self-respect, and linguistic pride. It continues in the same spirit today. It is a matter of pride and honour for Maharashtra," Shelar had told the Assembly.

He emphasised that the Government of Maharashtra is committed to preserving and promoting the cultural significance and global presence of this festival.

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