60 years on, Parel Navratri mandal still holds fort

MUMBAI: A small mill workers’ dedication to the Mother Goddess that began as a simple sketch on cardboard has now metamorphosed into one of the biggest Navratra mandals in the city. Over its 60-year history, the Parel Vibhag Sarvajanik Navratra Utsav Mandal at Ganesh Galli has grown by leaps and bounds, largely because the ceremonies and rituals remain detailed and traditional.
A picture of beauty, the 8-ft idol of Goddess Ambe crafted by moortikar Vijay Khatu was unveiled at the Parel Kamgar Maidan on Wednesday morning.Positioned strategically between KEM Hospital and the ITC Grand Maratha, the benign idol seemed to survey the changing skyline with a quiet smile, a trifle wistful at the economic disparities that Girangaon continues to witness through the decades. Unlike Ganeshotsav pandals that secure their idols from public view, the numerous Devi mandaps across Lalbaug-Parel offer open darshan to passersby.
Within hours of the Parel idol inauguration, hundreds of Maharashtrian families from the millworkers’ belt began pouring in with offerings of saris, solah singaar and cash amounts. Volunteers dressed in traditional churidar-kurta held fort alongside the pujaris, showing children around and distributing prasad. Professionals most of them, they are off work for the duration of the festival.
“Our Navratra celebration began 61 years ago as a picture of the Devi drawn on a mere piece of cardboard. We have retained that image to this day,” says Suryakant Shinde, assistant treasurer. “Gradually, it grew in scale and we installed a proper idol that is now decorated with golden and silver ornaments. The crown, necklace, mangalsutra and bangles are all made from gold while the weapons of the deity and her feet are cast in silver.”
Around 5 lakh visitors turn up each season, attending the daily aarti, the navachandi havan, and the auction of saris and ornaments offered to the deity that is organised three days after the festival. “We host a spectacular sahastrakumkum archan where 400 women sit before as many idols of the Goddess and chant her 1,000 names,” says volunteer Abhishek Phutane. “The idols are then gifted to them.” Another volunteer, Swapnil Patil, says the Ashtami havan is conducted exactly as per the scriptures.
Leading Marathi actor Asha Kale never fails to pay respects to the deity while Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle have been felicitated at the venue. Volunteers say that exactly one year ago, Shiv Sena leader Mohan Rawle who is the mandal president had managed to get Lata Mangeshkar to visit on her birthday.