Lucknow: Preparations are complete for Lucknow’s popular ‘Manautiyon Ke Raja’ Ganesh Utsav, with the 12-day celebration set to begin on Monday at Jhandewala Vatika. The 21st Ganesh Prakatya Mahotsav will be held from September 14 to 25, bringing together religious ceremonies, devotional music, cultural programmes and a festive fair for devotees.
The idol of ‘Manautiyon Ke Raja’ will be installed at 9 am on September 14, followed by elaborate decoration and special prayers. The festival committee announced the programme details at a press conference held at the venue on Sunday.
Bharat Bhushan Gupta, patron of the Shri Ganesh Prakatya Committee, said the main entrance this year has been designed on the lines of the famous Swaminarayan Temple in New Jersey, USA. Around 50–60 artisans from Kolkata have worked for nearly a month to create the elaborate pandal, spread across 13,000 square feet and rising approximately 80 feet.
The organisers said the pandal will be fully waterproof and air-conditioned, with separate seating arrangements for men and women. CCTV cameras will monitor the entire venue, while around 60 male and female bouncers will assist with security. The fairground has also been enclosed with tin sheets on all sides.
According to committee president Ghanshyam Das Agrawal (Gudda), the festival will formally commence with the installation of the idol, grand shringar and special worship at 9 am on September 14.
Councillors Ranjit Singh and Akhilesh Bansal said the approximately six-foot idol has been designed on the lines of the Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. The organisers have also taken insurance cover of ₹20 crore for the pandal.
Devotees will have the opportunity to offer their prayers and participate in a number of devotional programmes during the festival. Akhilesh Bansal, Sanjay Singh Gandhi and Gopal Agrawal said prominent singers from outside Uttar Pradesh would perform at the venue. Vikas Kapoor from Kolkata will perform on September 16, Akash Parichay from Jharkhand on September 18, Voice of India winner Sumit Saini on September 20, and Mahua TV artist Alok Kumar on September 22.
Sudhanshu Batham and Ajay Agrawal said devotees will once again be able to write letters to ‘Manautiyon Ke Raja Shri Gajanan’ to seek blessings and express their wishes. The letter-writing facility will remain available daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
The idol can be viewed by devotees from 9 am to 11 pm. Aarti will be held twice daily, at 9 am and 6 pm.
The celebrations will also feature a wide range of attractions for families and children. Yogesh Bansal and Sharad Agrawal said new rides for children would be installed, along with stalls offering fast food, ice cream and chaat. A Meena Bazaar will feature a variety of women’s accessories and beauty-related products.
Atul Bansal said the entire venue would take on the character of a traditional fair, with stalls selling a variety of goods. Devotional evenings and dance-dramas will also be organised every day under the musical direction of renowned Kolkata bhajan singer Sanjay Sharma.
The organisers said the festival is expected to attract around 15,000 to 20,000 devotees daily, making it one of the city’s major Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
The press conference was attended by Naresh Agrawal, Rohit Agrawal, Satish Agrawal, Ramshankar Verma, Deshraj Agrawal, Sanjay Agrawal, Ashish Agrawal, Vijendra Agrawal ‘Bijju’ and other members of the organising committee.
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