Last Bada Mangal big on fervour
LUCKNOW: Even with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius, spirits of Hanuman devotees did not dampen. People all over the city were seen celebrating the fourth and last Bada Mangal with great enthusiasm, by setting up stalls and distributing a wide range of food items including the usual puri-sabzi and the much sought-after icecreams.
At the Hanuman Setu Crossing, near Parivartan Chowk, a month-long bhandara that was being run by chartered accountants and LIC agents ended on Tuesday. “All of us used to take turns to meet the expenditure of running the bhandara each day. We also served different items at different times – poha for breakfast, puri-sabzi, daalchawal or kadhi for lunch, tea and biscuits for evening and rajma-chawal for dinner. We were able to serve nearly 4,000 people during the month,” shared Manoj Awasthi, a senior LIC officer.
Bada Mangal festival has a strong history behind it. It is said that it symbolises the GangaJamuni tehzeeb of the city, which is all about Hindu-Muslim unity. This tradition of Bada Mangal started when Janab-e-Alia, the second wife of nawab Shuja-udDaulah had a dream in which Lord Hanuman ordered her to set up a temple. She did so and even named her son Mirza Mangloo after the Lord’s day (Mangal). Since then, the tradition of the fair started and grew with passing years.
A kiosk set up at Polytechnic Crossing saw large crowds turn up for prasad. One of the organisers, Vijay Pratap Singh said, “It is the first time that we have set up a stall but it has been an enjoyable experience.”
The main gate of HAL was crammed with multiple stalls that were put up there. People from all walks of life were seen queuing up to receive the sweets. Organised by the Vaish Bandhu Kalyan Samiti, stalls offered a varieties of fare. NL Gupta, an organiser said, “We have been setting up this stall since the 90s on every last Bada Mangal.”
Another stall near Kapda Kothi, set up by SK Agrawal and family, served a variety of dishes to people. Having prepared all the food in a small space, they proudly said, “It is our first time and we are thoroughly enjoying it. Being ardent Hanuman devotees, this is giving us peace and happiness.”
Amity International School (AIS) also organised a bhandara at their Gomtinagar campus. Students also spread awareness on cleanliness on the occasion and placed dustbins to collect used cups and plates.