LUDHIANA: This Ganesh Chaturthi the city would have something to trumpet about -- a 90 ft tall idol of Lord Ganesha, which has been in the making for the past two years. And it will be a gift to the city by Rajesh Rudra, a resident of Model Town and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. With the pedestal the idol stands 100 ft tall and is one of the tallest in the country.
Rudra, who owns a chain of schools in the city, had specially brought 10 artists from Orissa for the construction of the idol that is now all set for its pran pratishtha on Thursday on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi. "I have spent Rs 25 lakh on the idol and am quite excited now that finishing touches are being given to it," he said.
Owing to his devotion and love for the deity Rudra, who in the daytime is busy in his schools' activities, spends his time in the evening sitting and watching the idol being made on National Highway No 1 outside his school. There are many more who stop by to watch it being made, as it is visible to all passers by even from a long distance because of its height and size.
Recollecting the time when he dreamt of getting such a huge idol made, Rudra said he was not such an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha earlier and it was only on June 20, 1998, that he underwent a supernatural experience that brought him very close to the deity.
Rajesh Rudra said: "I was in Delhi and was really feeling exhausted as the project of my school had gone into a limbo because of certain hurdles and was virtually in a mindset where I could even have committed suicide. In the morning at around 4 I saw Ganesha. I was seated near his feet with my head on his thigh. I gained consciousness only when I received a call from my wife, who was also worried about me."
He said after this experience he felt very light, all his work got done and he decided about getting a big Ganesha idol made. "I did not have the resources at that time, but now I am quite comfortable and thus I did not delay it any further," he added.
Located at Lalbaug market, Lalbaugcha Raja is one of the oldest sarvajanik (public) Ganesh festivals of Mumbai established in 1934.
During the pre-Independence era, the festival was used as a platform by the prominent leaders to generate opinion against the British empire.Lalbaugcha Raja is truly a King in all respects and it pays to seek his audience.
A mere glance of the deity which is labeled as mukh darshantakes about two-and-a-half-hours wait in the queue during weekdays and eight to nine hours during weekends.
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