The 86-year-old Nikadvari Lane Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandal, popularly called as Girgaoncha Raja, is famous for its 24-feet long eco-friendly Ganpati idol.
In 1928 Ramchandra Tendulkar started the Ganesh Utsav and the Patkar family has been making the Ganesh idols since its inception. The eco-friendly idols are made of Shadu clay.
Apart from organising Ganesh utsavs, the mandal has a social organisation called Adhar, which adopts 200 homeless children every year and support their education and all other needs of life till they are independent.
Description :
It is a pandal raised with bamboo sticks and sheltered with blue plastic sheets. But inside is a 22-ft Ganesha idol, which is made of pure saadu maati, the traditional clay used by idol-makers .
- This is probably one of the few large idols that is eco-friendly as it is not ed out of plasterof-Paris .
- Devotees, especially nearby residents , trickle in throughout the day. "For years together , it has been made of shadu maati.
- We believe in keeping the tradition alive,'' says one of the organisers .
- This pandal has a special charm owing to its simplicity. The pandal does not sprawl over many acres, but is instead a small place scented with agarbatti and the smell of pure ghee.
- On the 81st anniversary, the Girgaoncha Raja's feet have been crafted in pure silver that weighs more than 16 kg.
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