Faith, fervour and harmony mark Bada Mangal in Lucknow
Nearly 1,500 bhandaras set up across the state capital, municipal corporation deploys special sanitation teams to ensure cleanliness at these sites
LUCKNOW The state capital came alive with devotion as thousands of devotees celebrated the first Bada Mangal of the season with fervour and deep-rooted traditions. The festival, unique to Lucknow, is not only an expression of faith in Lord Hanuman but also a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, where people from all communities participate and contribute.
Since 4am on Tuesday, devotees thronged the Old Hanuman temple in Aliganj, Hanuman Setu, Chachi Kuan Temple, Hanuman temple in Rakabganj, Mauni Baba temple, Gulacheen Temple and the Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman Temple. The stream of worshippers continued all day, with long queues of people waiting patiently for ‘darshan’ and offering prayers.
Every year, a remarkable feature of Tuesdays of Jyeshtha is the widespread organization of bhandaras (community feasts). This year, over 1,500 bhandaras were set up across the city, serving food and refreshments to devotees and passersby. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) ensured cleanliness at these sites by deploying special sanitation teams.
Additional municipal commissioner Pankaj Srivastava conducted inspections in Zone 4, including areas in Viram Khand-5, where several community kitchens (bhandaras) were set up. He instructed event organizers and local staff to ensure proper cleanliness and regular waste collection in and around the event sites.
Nagar swasthya adhikari Dr PK Srivastava inspected the Dakshinmukhi Hanuman Temple at Hazratganj intersection and the nearby Janpath Market area. A sewage overflow issue at Janpath was promptly resolved by calling a municipal team on site. Later, at Parivartan Chowk, arrangements for public toilets and RC bins were made near another bhandara. Srivastava also visited Hanumant Dham Temple and reviewed the sanitation setup there.
Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar said the corporation’s control room monitored cleanliness at all bhandaras citywide. Dedicated teams of officers and staff ensured round-the-clock area-wise supervision and response throughout the day.
The LMC took a significant step towards a “zero-waste Bada Mangal’, focusing on the ban of single-use plastics and promoting organized waste management. Most of bhandara organizers used only biodegradable items and ensured proper disposal of plates, cups, and other waste into designated dustbins, said Kumar.
Bhandaras were hosted by private and government organisations. One of these was organized by the Debt Recovery Tribunal, Lucknow. Nitesh Tripathi, the organizer in charge, who has been overseeing the management for 10 years now, said: “All this is to feed everyone possible; no one should starve while we are serving God’s ‘prasad’.”
BSNL offices hosted bhandaras in their locality. Vipul Mohan, assistant director of BSNL (Hazratganj) branch, said: “We have around 200 kg of wheat, 60 kg of rice, 60 kg of boondi and vegetables according to the poori-rice ratio. We do all this to strengthen the community bond and for God’s blessings.”
A bhandara was hosted by a motor company near the Purana Hanuman Mandir, Aliganj, with an aim to feed at least 5,000 people.
“The funding for it comes from the owners and the contributions of the employees, We provide people with safe and clean food as well as parking space. We hire sanitation staff to clean the area within one kilometer,” said firm official Ratnesh Pathak. Inputs from Anushka Porwal
