Lalbaugcha Raja mandal celebrates by doing community service

Officials of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal honour those who lost their lives in the line of duty due to COVID-19 in the presence of their kin

With Ganeshsotsav as we know it, either cancelled or downsized this year, Mumbai's iconic Lalbaugcha Raja mandal organisers and karyakartas are using the time and opportunity for community and social service.

The Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, has given Rs 1 lakh each to the families of police personnel who have perished in the war against COVID-19. More than 50 families have been given cheques from early August.

The mandal organisers claimed they have been given a list of 111 people by the Maharashtra police. Those that remain will be given their cheques and a memento for bravery.

Balasaheb Kamble, mandal president, said, "We call them Coronavirus warriors, so it is fitting that we honour them in some way too, pay our respects. Like our soldiers they have fought on the frontline and we recognise their sacrifice."

Soldier salute

At least 700 people have donated blood so far at the drive held by the Mandal

It is not just COVID soldiers who have been remembered, our soldiers in uniform have a special doff of the hat, too. Kamble added, "Our Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal has given R2 lakh each to the families of 22 soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country in the Galwan Valley, on August 15. This we transferred online. These funds have come from the daan peti (donation box) filled by the large number of worshippers at Lalbaugcha Raja, year after year. The pandemic has of course, necessitated the cancellation of the festival. So, we thought why not channelise this time and energy into service in the time of COVID-19? We wanted to work for the country and the people, and this was one way to do so."

Giving blood

Mandal secretary Sudhir Salvi said that they have held a blood donation and plasma donation drive, which started on August 22. Organisers added that blood banks were struggling during the pandemic and the mandal wanted to help.

The drive saw at least 700 people coming to donate blood. Also, 150 people have donated plasma. Salvi explained, "We could not hold the festival this year for obvious reasons. We, office bearers, organisers, workers and old timers of the mandal decided to come together and harness our resources for a service project apt in these times."

The donation drives are being conducted at the Lalbaug venue itself. Teary eyed families of those who died accepted the help. "We felt honoured at the programme. We were moved and there was a surge of pride even through the grief," said Vandana Gajare. Vandana lost her father Anand Gajare to COVID-19 which he contracted in the line of duty, three months ago. He worked as a havaldar with the Jalgaon police. "I was at the programme on Thursday, with my mother and brother. We were crying throughout but were also moved by the respect given to us," she said.

For Rabale's (Navi Mumbai) Rupali Dadekar, who lost her husband Avinash Dadekar to COVID-19 in July, "It was not the money only but the memory too. The fact that somebody remembers and recognizes means so much," she stated about her late husband who was head constable at the Sagari Suraksha Shakha in Navi Mumbai.

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