At Ganesh Galli this year, Kashi Vishwanath temple replica & idol in ‘Vishwakarma Avatar’ await devotees
Just next to the Lalbaugcha Raja is the Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal (Mumbaicha Raja), popularly known as Ganesh Galli mandal in central Mumbai, which was established in 1928 and is said to have popularised the culture of having gigantic glorious idols of Ganesha in Maharashtra.
A collage of some of the previous idols of Ganesh Galli with the central idol being from the year 2012. (Express Photo)
EVERY YEAR, the 22-feet-high Ganesh idol in Mumbai’s Ganesh Galli adorns a new look.
Just next to the Lalbaugcha Raja is the Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal (Mumbaicha Raja), popularly known as Ganesh Galli mandal in central Mumbai, which was established in 1928 and is said to have popularised the culture of having gigantic glorious idols of Ganesha in Maharashtra.
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This year as the mandal celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi festival for the 95th time, their idol will be in the form of ‘Vishwakarma Avatar’, who is known as the creator of the universe and devotees will get to see a fascinating replica of Kashi Vishwanath temple of Varanasi from next week on Wednesday when the 10-day festival begins.
The mandal says it lives by its slogan “Bhavyatechi parampara, sanskruti che jopasna (Tradition of magnificence, conservation of culture)”, and every year surprises the devotees with a new artistic set and idol reflective of the Hindu culture.
“Many are unable to visit the beautiful Vishwanath temple in Varanasi so we want to give them a glimpse of it here. We have also arranged for LED decorative lights as seen on the streets of Singapore to welcome the devotees. We have spent around Rs 40 lakh till now for the preparations,” said Kiran Tawde, president of the mandal.
Art director Kunal Vijay Sable and his team are working for 10-12 hours to make the set. Sable, who has worked as an art director in India for the Christopher Nolan movie, Tenet, said, “The temple is a great historical monument representing architecture over centuries. It is said that the Mughals had destroyed it and Maratha queen Ahilya bai Holkar had rebuilt it. The three domes of the temple represent a mix of Hindu and Sikh culture.”
Sable’s assistant, art director Tejas Hemchandra Bhase, said, “We will be taking creative liberty to make paintings, which will tell stories that are inscribed in scriptures in the real temple.” Apart from the temple set, the Vishwakarma avatar of Ganesh is sure to mesmerise the devotees. Satish Walivadekar, the idol’s sculptor said, “This time the idol will be Lord Vishwakarma’s avatar, the creator of the Universe. The idol is in a seated position on a throne. The idol would be holding different equipment in four hands and around him would be Earth and a swan.”
Every year, the chance of doing aarti twice a day is given to people, who are serving the society in some way like the police, Army, nurses, fire brigade and artists from the film industry. The money collected through donations is used for social causes.
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India.
Expertise and Experience
Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of:
Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages.
Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states.
Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering:
Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements.
Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law.
Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in:
Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel.
Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India.
Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
