Lalbaugcha Raja garners ₹80L from its annual auction

A total of 110 gold and silver items, including a 100gm gold biscuit, were auctioned off at the Lalbaugcha Raja idol in Mumbai, fetching a total of ₹80,73,333. The money will be used for various charitable purposes by the mandal. In 2018, a gold Ganesh idol was auctioned off at ₹35.75 lakh. The mandal's highest income was ₹11.5 crore in 2008.

Mumbai: A total of 110 gold and silver items which were offered at the Lalbaugcha Raja idol by devotees were auctioned off by the mandal on Sunday between 5 and 10pm, garnering a total of ₹80,73,333. The most expensive item of them all was a gold biscuit, weighing 100gm, which was auctioned at ₹6.25 lakh.

Mumbai, India – Oct 01, 2023: Members of Lalbaugcha Raja Ganeshotsav Mandal auction the Gold , Silver and others items which were donated by devotees to Lalbaugcha Raja Ganeshotsav Mandal, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, Oct 01, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

Several necklaces and bracelets were sold for over ₹3 lakh. A bike from the company Kick EV was also sold at ₹1.65 lakh. Many gold Ganesh idols, crowns and kalash were also auctioned off. The cash, which also includes foreign currency, offered by the devotees is still being counted by the mandal.

In 2018, the costliest item gifted to the idol in the last 85 years, a gold Ganesh idol, was auctioned off at ₹35.75 lakh.

Balasaheb Kamble, president of the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, “We use the money in our dialysis centre, study room, library, computer training room, yoga class, competitive exams counselling centre, medical funds, etc.” Every year Ganeshotsav festivities start in Mumbai with the unveiling of the first look of ‘Lalbaugcha Raja’, which is located in Putlabai Chawl.

This year, the mandal’s theme was centred around the 350th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation. The Ganesha idol was seated on the throne resembling the throne of Shivaji Maharaj. This was the last decor shaped by late Nitin Desai, a well-known art director, for the Lalbaugcha Raja pandal.

The highest income collected by the mandal was ₹11.5 crore in 2008, its 75th anniversary year.