Bappa! Save us from sickly sweet aroma of laddoos, say Siddhivinayak neighbours

Built in 1977, the housing society, now accommodates many senior citizens who often suffer from nausea due to the constant smell of ghee, used in the prasad

At one time, guests of residents in Kamana CHS, Dadar, were given a clear landmark for arrival – they were asked to look for the society next to Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir. Over the last four years, that has changed -- they are now told to follow the cloying scent of ghee-laden laddoos filling the air to arrive at their destination.

“The moment you enter the society, you will like the aroma for a short while, but it eventually becomes oppressive. This space used to be the waiting area of the temple, which has been turned into an industrial kitchen. There is so much ghee stocked there that it’s a fire hazard,” said another resident, Arun Madkholkar, pointing in the direction of the temple. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

Built in 1977, the housing society, which has 192 flats in four buildings, now accommodates many senior citizens who often suffer from nausea from the constant heavy smell of ghee, used to make the prasad, in the temple’s kitchen. Their collective plea to the trust has fallen on deaf ears. With increased footfall, 15 tonnes of ghee is used to make the prasad every month.

The Dhabolkars, an octogenarian couple whose flat faces the temple’s kitchen, are among many residents who have been writing to the temple trust since 2020 about the issue. “We have asked them to move the laddoo making activity to a different area but in vain. They keep giving assurances but have yet to fix it,” said Parmakar Dhabolkar. His wife Usha remembered how seeing “the deva from the window in the ’70s was sheer bliss”. “Now they have commercialised it all,” she said, adding that the sweet making factory is leading to health concerns. “We keep coughing constantly. When the temple sees a huge crowd, it deploys workers to toil overnight, which creates heavy noise and air pollution,” she said.

“The moment you enter the society, you will like the aroma for a short while, but it eventually becomes oppressive. This space used to be the waiting area of the temple, which has been turned into an industrial kitchen. There is so much ghee stocked there that it’s a fire hazard,” said another resident, Arun Madkholkar, pointing in the direction of the temple.

Residents have demanded the kitchen be shifted to an industrial area and the sweets brought out in sealed packs. “Why is an industrial activity being carried out in residential premises? This is a violation,” said another resident, Nagesh Bhatt.

When the society complained to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) building and factory department last month, the civic body’s G-North ward had issued instructions to remove the extra flammable material (ghee) stored on the ground floor. BMC officers had visited the premises on May 12, which was followed by a visit from officers of the fire brigade. Sanjay Manjrekar, chief fire officer said, “Our checks have revealed that the temple is following all compliances.”

Vishaka Raut, trustee and former chairperson of Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust said, “Previously when people’s wishes were fulfilled they would distribute laddoos to share their happiness. That changed, after we were advised by police that the prasad had to be cooked inside the temple under CCTV surveillance because of security reasons. The same practice prevails in all other places of worship such as Shirdi or Tirupati Balaji. We have been making the laddoos here since 2000. Why are they getting the smell only now?”

Raut put down the aroma wafting into the direction of the housing society to heavy wind. Hence, she said, authorities have decided to shift the direction of the chimney. “Neither the society can shift nor the temple, so we are trying to find a solution,” she said.