Life always offers you a second chance. Many in Navi Mumbai will see the truth in this statement as they will have the opportunity to see Lalbaugcha Raja on Sunday. But, it has already been immersed, you will say? The lord will be seen in another avatar. He will be seen as Marketcha Raja in Panvel.
Organised by Panvel’s Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Hatgadi Sanghatana, this idol is a replica of Lalbaugcha Raja. Lakhs of devotees visit the pandal every year for darshan. Another feature of this mandal is that the idol is established a few days after Anant Chaturdashi, on Sankashti Chaturthi. This is the 21st year of celebration, and the organisers are sure it will be a great one.
“We always establish the idol on Sankashti Chaturthi, which falls after Anant Chaturdashi and is dedicated to Lord Ganesha.
“A few years after our mandal was formed, we saw that it was difficult for people of Panvel and Raigad district to visit Lalbaugcha Raja, thus it was decided to have an idol here that resembled the original. This is the 13th year of having the Lalbaugcha Raja look-alike,” said SK Naik, who has been the mandal’s president since it was established.
The day when the idol is installed, the mandal arranges a ‘mahaprasad’ for around 10,000 devotees.
On the first day, an adivasi song and dance performance known as balya that runs for four hours is performed. “Two dance troupes coming from villages in Uran and Raigad perform a jugalbandi.
“They wear their traditonal costumes and perform balya, which is a very old adivasi dance of the Konkan region and not known by many. So, we give the artistes an opportunity to perform here,” said Sailesh Joshi, one of the organisers.
This idol is made by Santosh Kambli, the same artisan who has for years created the Lalbaugcha Raja.
Grand celebrations start a day-and-a-half before the idol is immersed at Krishnali talao.
Marketcha Raja will be immersed on Sunday.
Grand fest
Organised by Panvel’s Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Hatgadi Sanghatana, the Marketcha Raja is a replica of Lalbaugcha Raja. Lakhs of devotees visit the pandal every year for his darshan.
Another feature of this mandal is that the idol is established a few days after Anant Chaturdashi, on Sankashti Chaturthi. This is the 21st year of celebration, and the organisers are sure it will be a great one.
“A few years after our mandal was formed, we saw that it was difficult for people of Panvel and Raigad district to visit Lalbaugcha Raja, thus it was decided to have an idol here that resembled the original. This is the 13th year of having the Lalbaugcha Raja look-alike,” said SK Naik, the mandal’s president.
A mahaprasad is organised the day the idol is installed.
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