Lucknow, 8 May: The state capital’s Hanuman temples are being spruced up for the ‘Bada Mangal’ festival, which takes place every Tuesday during the Hindu month of Jyestha.
The event, which was formerly hosted solely in Lucknow, is now being held throughout the state. Bada Mangal will fall on May 9, 16, 23, and 30 this year.
According to popular folklore, the ritual was begun in the late 18th century by Janab-e-Alia, the Hindu wife of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah. “When the Begum was unable to conceive, someone advised her to pray at the Hanuman temple in Aliganj. She agreed and was blessed with a son as a result. She dreamed of a divine entity commanding her to build a Hanuman temple, so she renovated the old temple and built a new one, and thus began the Bada Mangal celebration and fair – a tradition that continues to this day,” said Rajesh Pandey, secretary of the Aliganj Shri Mahaveerji Trust (Naya Hanuman Mandir).
Visitors to Naya Aliganj Mandir will be able to observe the temple’s refurbished structure.
“Women will be allowed to enter the temple through the main gate for the first time. Furthermore, the sanctum sanctorum has been adorned with silver. The Bhandara (community feast) will last all day, and a variety of food items will be distributed to the devotees,” Pandey added. On May 9, the Agnihotri brothers will recite the Sunderkand at Hanumant Dham.
“This year, we’re replacing disposable plates with clay pots to promote environmental awareness,” temple priest Mahant Ramsewak Das explained. At Hanuman Setu Temple, several amenities have been created for worshippers.
“We’ve set up an air-conditioned tent from the parking lot to the main hall. The main entrance will stay closed, but a prasad of boondi laddoos will be handed to worshippers,” said Diwaker Tripathi, secretary of the temple trust. Devotees who attend the ‘Lete Hue Hanuman Mandir’ on Bada Mangal dressed in traditional garb would be able to offer ‘sindoor’.
According to temple trust head Vivek Tangdi, an ISKCON team will perform throughout the festivities because Hanuman is a music enthusiast. “Every Bada Mangal, a 5.25 kg laddoo will be served as bhog. Furthermore, discourses on many elements of social life will be included in satsang,” he said. Meanwhile, the Lucknow police have released instructions ahead of Bada Mangal to help with traffic flow and cleanliness.
Aparna Rajat Kaushik, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central, stated that ‘bhandaras’ will require prior authorization. “This is essential for ensuring smooth traffic flow. The city has also been subjected to Section 144,” she explained.
Devotees who want to hold ‘bhandaras’ should have volunteers to make sure the vehicles are properly parked. They will also be expected to tidy the area when the ‘bhandara’ is completed. “Strict action will be taken against organisers who do not follow the guidelines,” the DCP stated.
