Updated On: 29 August, 2025 11:52 PM IST | Anushree Gaikwad
At Lalbaugcha Raja, Mumbai’s most revered Ganesh mandal, the spirit of devotion is as towering as the idol itself. For lakhs of devotees, a glimpse of Bappa means enduring serpentine queues that stretch from Lalbaug to Kalachowki, sometimes even reaching Parel. (PICS/ ANUSHREE GAIKWAD)

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For many, the darshan is as much a test of endurance as it is an expression of faith as they inch forward in sweltering heat, leaning against barricades for support or resting on pavements with blankets and bags
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At times, the scenes at Lalbaugcha Raja turn chaotic, with massive crowds surging and pushing against one another, making it difficult to manage the flow of devotees

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With the crowd swelling into lakhs, devotees often camp on the footpaths overnight, waiting patiently under makeshift sheds
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The mandal provides basic facilities such as lights, fans and shade near the pandal, but the long journey to darshan is still marked by exhaustion

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People wait around 7-8 hours in line for Lalbaugcha Raja darshan
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Police officials acknowledge that the charan sparsh line often extends up to 2 km, while the mukhdarshan queue moves faster

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On the ground, crowd managers insist that efforts are being made to provide comfort
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