MUMBAI: The city’s most iconic Ganesh murti, Lalbaugcha Raja, unveiled its first look on September 11 evening, setting the stage for the spectacular Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations that transform the city into a sea of devotion, colour and celebration every year.
With Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 beginning on September 14, the unveiling has once again placed Lalbaugcha Raja at the centre of Mumbai’s festive calendar. For millions of devotees, the first glimpse of the revered murti is far more than the unveiling of a religious figure it is the emotional beginning of Ganeshotsav.
Seated majestically on a throne, Lalbaugcha Raja appears serene, benevolent and deeply reassuring, embodying the image of Bhagwan Ganesha as the divine protector, the remover of obstacles and the harbinger of new beginnings.
Lalbaugcha Raja has grown far beyond the boundaries of a traditional Ganesh mandal. Associated with the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal at Putlabai Chawl, the tradition dates back to 1934 and has become inseparable from Mumbai’s cultural identity.
Year after year, millions of devotees make their way to the pandal for darshan. Long queues, crowded streets and hours of waiting have become part of the Lalbaug experience, underlining the extraordinary pull of the deity among devotees from Mumbai, Maharashtra and beyond.
The murti’s enduring appeal lies not simply in its imposing appearance but in what it represents a shared expression of faith cutting across neighbourhoods, generations and social backgrounds.
For Mumbai, Lalbaugcha Raja is almost synonymous with Ganeshotsav itself.
Adding another layer to the history of Lalbaugcha Raja is the role of the Kambli family, which has been entrusted with the care of the Ganapati murti for more than eight decades.
That continuity has helped preserve the distinctive identity and artistic tradition associated with Lalbaugcha Raja. At a time when festivals increasingly combine traditional devotion with modern spectacle, the mandal’s long-standing practices remain a powerful reminder of the roots of Mumbai’s Ganeshotsav.
The unveiling of the first look therefore carries the weight of decades of tradition while simultaneously signalling the beginning of another massive celebration.
Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day festival beginning on the fourth day of the Hindu lunisolar month of Bhadrapada and concluding with Ananta Chaturdashi. Also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Vinayak Chavithi, the festival celebrates Bhagwan Ganesha as the God of New Beginnings, Remover of Obstacles and deity of wisdom and intelligence.
In Mumbai and across Maharashtra, the festival takes on a scale of its own.
Homes and neighbourhoods prepare elaborate decorations, families welcome Ganesha murtis, devotees observe rituals and fasts, and traditional delicacies become part of the celebrations. Public mandals compete to create spectacular displays, turning streets and neighbourhoods into vibrant centres of devotion.
