Lalbaugcha Raja, the most visited idol of Lord Ganesh in Mumbai, will not be a part of Ganesh Utsav this year. The famous Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal has announced that they will hold any festivities this year amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Many well-known celebrities, politicians, and business tycoons visit to get a glimpse of Lalbaugcha Raja every year.
लालबागचा राजा सार्वजनिक गणेशोत्सव मंडळ
— Lalbaugcha Raja (@LalbaugchaRaja) July 1, 2020
सन २०२० लालबागचा राजाचा गणेशोत्सव साजरा न करता करोनाचा प्रादुर्भाव लक्षात घेता भाविकांसाठी सदर वर्षी लालबागचा राजा ‘आरोग्य उत्सव’ साजरा करणार आहे. @OfficeofUT @CMOMaharashtra @AUThackeray @kishoripednekar @AnilDeshmukhNCP@MumbaiPolice pic.twitter.com/m7W2Nh7Bhs
This year, Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal decided to celebrate ‘Aarogya Utsav,’ and they will set up blood and plasma donation camps. The Mandal holds several social activities every year, including medical health check-up camps and blood donation camps.
Many Mandals decided not to have celebrations
Many Ganesh Mandals have already announced that they will either have low key celebrations or cancel the plans altogether. Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, another famous Mandal, has announced that they will not have ‘Utsav Murti’ and will only bring in a four-foot Ganesh idol. They have decided to arrange an online darshan to take part in the Utsav from their homes.
GSB Mandal, Wadala, said that they would postpone the celebrations to February 2021. A couple of days ago, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that Ganesh idols would not be more than four-feet tall this year. Also, the Maharashtra government put a blanket ban on processions.
Other festivals canceled or having a limited gathering
Jagannath Rath Yatra of Puri is currently happening with a limited number of devotees. Rath Yatra in Gujarat got canceled after High Court put stay on it for this year. Chithirai Festival in Madurai got cancelled in April. The UP and Haryana government withdrew Kanwar Yatra on 21st June. It is still uncertainty over Amarnath Yatra. The annual Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati this year was also cancelled, which sees a congregation of a large number of seers from across the country, and temple priests performed the necessary rituals on the occasion without any gathering of devotees. Around 25 lakh devotees and sadhus had attended the mela last year. In the next few months, many festivals may see the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, including Saawan, Krishna Janmashtmi, Rakshabandhan, Navratri, Vijaydashmi, and Diwali.
