Mumbai's iconic Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most celebrated Ganesh idols is popular as a "sarvajanik" or public Ganesha idol attracting nearly 1.5 million devotees daily during the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This year marks the 91st anniversary of the pandal, with Mukh Darshan and Navasachi starting on September 7. As usual, videos from the event flooded social media, but this time they unintentionally highlighted the unequal treatment between VIPs and regular devotees.
Take A Look At The Viral Clips From Lalbaugcha Raja
While Lalbaugcha Raja is public in the sense that it is accessible to everyone, recent videos have sparked concern over the growing VIP culture at the mandal. Several videos have gone viral showing long lines of devotees being forcefully pushed and shoved by workers at the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal. These common devotees, who often wait in line for up to 12 hours for a glimpse of the deity, were hurriedly pushed aside by security before they even had a chance to bow in front of Ganpati.
Meanwhile, you may have noticed paparazzi videos featuring the Ambanis, celebrities, and actors visiting the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, receiving peaceful darshan through VIP lines. This starkly contrasts with videos of regular devotees being rushed and crowded, sparking a heated debate on social media.
'Isn’t Faith Supposed To Be Equal For All?': Controversy on VIP Culture
Industrialist Harsh Goenka shared a video showing the treatment of common devotees at the Lalbaugcha Raja pandal. Along with the video, he wrote, "Ever wondered why people opt for VIP darshan at Lalbaugcha Raja? It’s because the common devotee often faces long waits and crowds, highlighting the unequal treatment. Isn’t faith supposed to be equal for all?”
The videos have since sparked outrage on social media, with many criticising the stark difference in treatment between VIPs and ordinary devotees during Darshan.
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