Lucknow: Bada Mangal bhandara set to resume after gap of 2 years

LUCKNOW: ‘Bhandaras’ across the city and the traditional fair in Aliganj near the new

Hanuman

temple will be back after a gap of two years as

Bada Mangal

celebrations return from May 17.

Bada Mangal is a festival held on all Tuesdays falling in the Hindu month of Jyeshtha in which devotees worship Lord Hanuman and people from all walks of life and faiths organise roadside bhandaras (feasts) for the public.

The tradition of organising Bada Mangal fairs at the temple is nearly 350 years old and is said to have started after Janab-e-Alia, the Hindu wife of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah, built the temple after her wish for a child was fulfilled. Over 50,000 devotees from various parts of the state visit the temple to celebrate every year on Bada Mangal.

Other Hanuman temples in the city including the old Hanuman temple of Aliganj, Hanuman Setu temple, Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman temple and Panchmukhi Hanuman temple among others also witness huge footfall on all Bada Mangal days.

Mayor Mayor

Sanyukta Bhatia

held a meeting with members of Mangal Man committee on Thursday and announced that people will be allowed to host

bhandara

this year. She directed committee members to ensure cleanliness and hygiene during Bada Mangal events.

Bhatia also issued an appeal to those interested in organising bhandara to get their event registered with the Mangal Man committee website www.mangalman.in or by sending a mail to mangalmanlko@gmail.com or by calling phone numbers 9415755950 or 7985242074.

The mayor said that Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) will provide free of cost garbage collection and disposal facility at the registered bhandara sites. However, she added, the unregistered ones will have to clean the area at their own cost. LMC officials said that a fine ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 will be levied on unregistered bhandaras which are not cleaned after the event.

Convener of the Mangal Man drive Ram Kumar Tiwari said that organizers will have to keep dustbins at the site and tie the garbage bags once they are filled. A video on how to maintain cleanliness will be uploaded on the portal soon, he added.