Mumbai: No giant idol for Lalbaugcha Raja this year amid COVID-19

Lalbaugcha Raja 2019. Image courtesy: Manjeet Thakur

First time in its long history, the famed and iconic Lalbaugcha Raja will not be installed during the upcoming 11-day Ganeshotsav, official sources said here on Wednesday. It will be replaced by a small idol of around 3-4 feet for the traditional 'puja' and other ceremonies.

This will be in adherence to an appeal by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to celebrate Ganeshotsav 2020 with more devotion and less pomp in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In view of Thackeray's plea, all Ganeshotsav Mandals in the state, especially those which are renowned for the giant-sized idols, took a voluntary decision to restrict the height of Ganesha to less than four feet.

The normal imposing, 15-feet plus tall idol of Lalbaugcha Raja, and other mega-idols in Mumbai, Pune and other cities will be conspicuous by their absence in the Maharashtra Ganeshotsav celebration starting August 22.

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