About Lalbagh Chya Raja

About Lalbagh Chya Raja, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Lalbaugcha Raja is the most famous Sarvajanik Ganapati, [1] kept at Lalbaug, a prominent locality in Mumbai during Ganesh Chaturti festival. The idol is kept for public display for Eleven days thereafter it is immersed on the auspicious day of Anant Chaturdashi. The pendal attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees during the festival[2] and is the center of prime attraction.There are two lines for taking blessings of the Lalbaugcha Raja - THE NAVSACHI LINE and MUKH DARSHANACHI LINE.Around 18 LAC people visit the mandal on the 1st day of ganeshutsav .It takes around 25-30 and sometimes 40 hours for THE NAVSACHI LINE and 15-20 hours for MUKH DARSHANACHI LINE to reach the ganpati stage due to the long lines ranging from 5 to 6 km. Many times MUKH DARSHANACHI LINE reaches Byculla and THE NAVSACHI LINE reaches very very far.
It is believed that this Idol of Lord Ganesha is Navsacha Ganpati (which means the fulfiller of all wishes) and hence around 1.5 million people or more visit this Ganesh Pandal daily during the 10 day Ganeshotsav festival.Soon Lalbaugcha Raja is supposed to be a pigrim place.
Since last few years, few days prior to the Ganesh Chaturthi day, Mukh Darshan Ceremony (Lalbaugcha Raja's first look and photoshoot) is organised by Lalbaug Sarvajanik Ganeshostav mandal. This year the ceremony took place on Thursday, September 5, 2013. This unveiling of Lalbaugcha Raja is covered every year by all national and regional channels.[3]

Lalbaugcha Raja is the popular Ganesh Idol of Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal. The Mandal, formerly known as Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Lalbaug[4] was founded in 1934 at Lalbaug Market.
History[edit source | editbeta]

The Mandal, formerly known as 'Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Lalbaug' was founded in 1934,[5] because of a vow (Navas) for construction of the present Lalbaug Market at its existing place. The market place at Peru Chawl was shut down in 1932. Hence, the fishermen and vendors [ i.e. the KOLI people] who used to sit in the open place vowed to Ganesha for permanent place for their market. With the consistent efforts and support of the then local Councillor-Late Shri. Kuwarji Jethabhai Shah, Dr. V. B. Korgaonkar, Shri. Nakhawa Kokam Mama, Bhausaheb Shinde, Dr. U. A. Rao and the local residents, the landlord Rajabai Tayyabali agreed to give a plot for construction of a market. As fulfillment of their wish, the fisherman and the traders established the Ganesh Idol on 12 September 1934. The idol was dressed in the customary fashion of fisherman. Since that day onwards, this Lord Ganesh has become popular as it fulfills the wishes of devotees. The Mandal was formed in the era when the freedom struggle was at its peak.

From Wikepedia ..
I have been shooting Lalbagh Chya Raja since 2004 ,,promoting Hindu Muslim Amity through my blogs ,,