LUCKNOW The state capital got here alive with devotion as hundreds of devotees celebrated the primary Bada Mangal of the season with fervour and deep-rooted traditions. The competition, distinctive to Lucknow, is just not solely an expression of religion in Lord Hanuman but in addition an emblem of Hindu-Muslim unity, the place folks from all communities take part and contribute.
Folks taking ‘prasad’ at a bhandara on the primary Bada Mangal in Lucknow. (Mushtaq Ali/HT Picture)
Since 4am on Tuesday, devotees thronged the Outdated Hanuman temple in Aliganj, Hanuman Setu, Chachi Kuan Temple, Hanuman temple in Rakabganj, Mauni Baba temple, Gulacheen Temple and the Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman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 lengthy queues of individuals ready patiently for ‘darshan’ and providing prayers.
Yearly, a exceptional function of Tuesdays of Jyeshtha is the widespread group of bhandaras (neighborhood feasts). This 12 months, over 1,500 bhandaras have been arrange throughout town, serving meals and refreshments to devotees and passersby. The Lucknow Municipal Company (LMC) ensured cleanliness at these websites by deploying particular sanitation groups.
Further municipal commissioner Pankaj Srivastava carried out inspections in Zone 4, together with areas in Viram Khand-5, the place a number of neighborhood kitchens (bhandaras) have been arrange. He instructed occasion organizers and native employees to make sure correct cleanliness and common waste assortment in and across the occasion websites.
Nagar swasthya adhikari Dr PK Srivastava inspected the Dakshinmukhi Hanuman Temple at Hazratganj intersection and the close by Janpath Market space. A sewage overflow problem at Janpath was promptly resolved by calling a municipal workforce on web site. Later, at Parivartan Chowk, preparations for public bathrooms and RC bins have been made close to one other bhandara. Srivastava additionally visited Hanumant Dham Temple and reviewed the sanitation setup there.
Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar mentioned the company’s management room monitored cleanliness in any respect bhandaras citywide. Devoted groups of officers and employees ensured round the clock area-wise supervision and response all through the day.
The LMC took a major step in the direction of 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 places of work hosted bhandaras of their locality. Vipul Mohan, assistant director of BSNL (Hazratganj) department, mentioned: “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 firm close to the Purana Hanuman Mandir, Aliganj, with an goal to feed not less than 5,000 folks.
“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,” mentioned agency official Ratnesh Pathak. Inputs from Anushka Porwal