Bada Mangal gets bigger with 9 Tuesdays of faith and feasting
LUCKNOW: The trinity of faith, fervour and feasting will be in full play for an unprecedented nine Tuesdays marking Bada Mangal, dedicated to the worship of Lord Hanuman, this year, astrologers and priests say.
Beginning May 1, the Bada Mangals will be celebrated on all Tuesdays till June 26, they add.
The Bada Mangal tradition is unique to Lucknow. It is celebrated on Tuesdays in the Hindu month of Jyestha (May-June).
Pandit Garunesh Kumar Mishra, an astrologer, demystifies the reason for the occasion falling on nine Tuesdays this time. He says, “Every three years, there is an extra month in the Hindu calendar. It is called adhik maas or purushottam maas. It can occur during any month, making the month appear twice in the calendar. This year, there will be two Jyestha months due to adhik maas. As a result, all Tuesdays in the two Jyestha months will add up to nine Bada Mangals.”
The Bada Mangals falling on May 22, 29, June 5 and 12 will be part of the Purushottam Maas. “Worshipping Lord Hanuman during these Tuesdays will be very beneficial. Reciting Ramcharitmanas and Panchmukhi Hanuman kavach during these Tuesdays will bring blessings of the Lord,” he says.
The additional Bada Mangals will give a fillip to the tradition of savouring the delicious food that is distributed on a large scale in every nook and corner of the city
on the occasion, devotees say.
In recent years, the number of stalls or kiosks from which the Bada Mangal fare is handed out has grown by leaps and bounds, so much so that even the wellheeled
don’t mind queueing up for the special food, which includes puri-sabzi, cholachawal, halwa, boondi and even ice-cream “Since the list of people who hold bhandaras is growing every year, Bada Mangal witnesses an excess of stalls on every street and market area. This time, people will get an opportunity to feast on nine Tuesdays instead of the regular four or five Tuesdays,” says Naman Chopra, a businessman, who organises bhandara (free distribution of food) every year in Lucknow.
Since Bada Mangal also causes littering near the food stalls, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation has ordered fines on all those who set up stalls if the area nearby is found dirty. “Those who set up stalls should take the responsibility of ensuring cleanliness in the vicinity and make proper arrangement for dustbins. The LMC will ensure that garbage is collected from the various spots,” says an LMC official.
Special arrangements have been made at prominent Hanuman temples of the city. These include the Aliganj Hanuman temple, Hanuman Setu temple, Chachi Kuan Hanuman temple in Chowk, Aminabad Hanuman temple, Hazratganj Hanuman temple and others in the city.
Closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed and special security arrangements made at the temples. The gates of the Hanuman Setu temple will remain open from devotees from midnight on Monday till midnight on Tuesday, the temple authorities say.