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Lalbagh Cha Raja!

 

Ganpati Bappa Morya, Mangal Murti Morya!!

 

The Ganpati Festival celebrations are on, and it’s that time of year where the calories don't count but blessings do. Bappa brings in so much positivity, optimism, happiness and a lot more. So I thought it is the right time to share an anecdote of the time I visited the most popular Lalbagh cha Raja in Lalbagh Mumbai.

 

So on 1st September 2017, I got an opportunity to visit Lalbagh cha raja, an opportunity that more than 1.5 million people await every year. I was still a little confused whether I should go or not, but then finally I decided to go. We started at around 8-8:30pm from Panvel and reached there by 10pm. First I visited some nearby Ganpati Pandals and though it was late night, it still felt like 7pm in the evening. As it is often said Mumbai never sleeps, from that day on I believe in the fact that it's true that it never sleeps!

 

Lalbagh cha Raja has a history that dates back to 1932 when the fisherman and traders market place was shut down, so they vowed to Ganpati Bappa and by 1934 they got a plot for their marketplace. So on 12th September 1934 they placed the Ganpati Idol in the market, dressed in the customary fisherman fashion, and then on it is believed to fulfill the wishes of the devotees. Devotees from all walks of life visit Bappa from cross states, countries and continents.

 

So back to my visit, we stood in the queue for some time but the queue is comparatively shorter at night. Well there are two types of queues, one is the Navsachi line(for vows) in this devotees can touch Bappa's feet and another is for Mukh darshan in this one can see Bappa from distance. Well it is quite difficult to choose which line to be a part of as one of them offers a touch and another a view that is unmissable. But when you see their respective length's you take the one less traveled by that is the mukh darshan line. Because when you listen to the stories of people in navasachi line you realize how much blessed you already are and don't need to vow. There Lalbagh cha Raja is not just a god, for devotees he is their parent, teacher, therapist, doctor, psychologist, friend and the best listener.

 

So as I proceeded in the queue I saw a sea of people who were there to see the magnificent Bappa, among all those people I felt like a drop in the Arabian sea. All the eyes were glued towards Bappa. And I still can't forget the moment I was right in front of the majestic, breathtaking and marvelous Lalbagh cha Raja. It felt like everything around me just stopped and it was just me and Bappa in that moment. I saw the 8th wonder or maybe the one who created the other 7. It feels like Bappa looks right into your eyes and soul. I couldn't take my eyes off, I was just stumped at the art of the God who is considered to be the God of 64 arts!

 

No amount of time satisfies, but one has to move ahead as there are other devotees in the queue waiting for the very same view. Every devotee comes out with a smile on their face and satisfaction in their heart. The prasad tastes even more tastier when you stand in the queue, meet Bappa and finally come out.


Until next time I get this chance, all I would say is :

Ganpati Bappa Morya, Mangal Murti Morya!!

 

Happy Reading,

 - Siddhi Bhosale.


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