With the onset of Ganesh Chaturthi from September 2, Mumbaikars and people from across the country visit many Ganpati mandals. One of the most renowned Ganpati mandal is Girgaoncha Raja, which celebrates 91 years of existence in 2019. Established in 1928, Girgaoncha Raja has been keeping eco-friendly ganpati idols that are made of clay.
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The idol is sculpted by Rajender Patkar and its standout point is the Kolhapuri style raja pheta which is placed on the head and is around 5.5 feet tall and its width is around 7 feet. In the initial years, the idol was just 8 feet tall but it is 22 feet tall now. Through its size and eco-friendly outlook, head of the mandal Ganesh Mahadev Lingayat and the organisers want to send a message across about environment conservation and it is not the size of the idol that matters but the feeling of togetherness due to the festival that counts.
The mandal was mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 'Mann Ki Baat' for its steps towards environment conservation. The idol's feet is made of silver and has gold plated bangles and necklace. Another tradition that the mandal has been following since its inception is that if one takes a closer look of the trunk, they will find an impression of Lord Krishna
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Here's the look of some of Girgaoncha Raja idol over the years:
1. 2015
2. 2016
3. 2018
4. 2019
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