Ganesh mandal celebrates 57 years with 57 good deeds

To commemorate 57 years of its existence, members of a Ganesh mandal in Jogeshwari (east) performed 57 good deeds through the year

Mumbai: To commemorate 57 years of its existence, members of a Ganesh mandal in Jogeshwari (east) performed 57 good deeds through the year.

The mandal, which welcomed a six-foot idol draped in a yellow dhoti with much fanfare on Tuesday decided to bring in the Ganesh festival this year with something extra (HT Photo)

The mandal, which welcomed a six-foot idol draped in a yellow dhoti with much fanfare on Tuesday decided to bring in the Ganesh festival this year with something extra. For one, the 150 members did not collect donations from households in Vile Parle (east) where families had lost a member to Covid-19, or and in whose homes someone had lost employment during the pandemic.

But perhaps the most significant way they chose to welcome Ganeshotsav, said Shivaji Khairnar joint secretary of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, which manages the Shyam Nagarcha Raja mandal, was by performing good deeds.

“We provided medical funds for treatment. Ours is the only mandal where all seven core committee members are women,” said Khairnar.

Young mandal members celebrated Valentine’s Day on February 14 by giving flowers and chocolates to senior citizens in the vicinity.

“We want the younger generation to understand the importance of having seniors amid us and so we made them celebrate Valentine’s Day with them. They were all found sitting in gardens and temples,” he added.

In order to make women from Vile Parle comfortable with the police, we made them tie rakhis during Raksha Bandhan. We also provided volunteers to visually impaired persons appearing for bank or railway exams to become their writers for free,” said Khairnar.

The mandal members also joined part the community task force of 400 people during the pandemic.

“During the monsoon 200 volunteers from mandal helped women seek shelter in mandal sheds from Powai to Borivali and provided them washrooms and refreshments,” he said.