Lucknow's missed Bada Mangal after 300 years


The month of Jyestha/Jeth falling during early May to mid June is eagerly awaited in Lucknow as it holds a special annual event.

The occasion is the special Darshan of Lord Hanuman and asking of wishes in the Hanuman Temple at Aliganj, and the accompanying mela.


                     The first tuesdayof the month of Jeth has the honour of being known as Bada Mangal. The last tuesday of the month of Jyestha is known as Budhwa Mangal (it could be 4th or sometimes the 5th). The rest of the tuesdays in between do not have any special name.

The darshan and occasion are specific to the two temples (old and new) at Aliganj, but with time all Hanuman Temples in Lucknow have started organising similar festivities and mela. May be it is better business sense to do so.

Old Hanuman Mandir
and its Diety

             A brief History ….
In the year 1718 Awadh Queen Alia Begum was getting a palace made in Aliganj, Lucknow. During the digging work at the site labourers found two statues of Lord Hanuman. Alia Begum got the statues placed somewhere in the corner of the construction area. That night she heard in her dream, "Install the statues in a temple and a son will be born to you".

Within few days Alia Begum got the statue installed in the temple known today as ‘Purana Hanuman Mandir’, Aliganj. In time Alia Begum was blessed with a son whom she named ‘Mangat Rai Firoz Shah’.
     
New Hanuman Mandir
and its Diety

                                Every year The Aliganj Hanuman Mandir is spruced up with fresh paint, decorations, fans, desert coolers, etc. The pious flock to the Mandir to have darshan on every Tuesday of the month. The roads are sprinkled with water, as most devotees walk bare foot for the last stretch leading to the Mandir. Police bandobast is tightened for this period around the Mandir, as lakhs visit it.

The area around the Mandir for about half a km all round is transformed into a mela for one continuous month, where pavement stalls of wide variety of items are put up. Children have a rollicking good time with merry-go-round, toys etc. Food stalls are enjoyed by all ages.

Mela
courtsy - Lucknow Observer
Mela

The religious minded businessmen/ Shopkeepers association/ others put up one day stalls called Bhandara all over the city on every Tuesday to distribute Prasad to one and all.

Bhandara (courtsy - RML)

courtsy - Now Lucknow

Petty businesspersons wait for this one month to generate an annual income as the event generates income opportunities for Prasad & flower sellers, shopkeepers for the fair, food stall operators, joy ride operators for children, tent & halwais who operate the Tuesday Bhandaras, etc, etc,.

Lucknow has been celebrating Bada Mangal since the year 1720.

Yes, that comes to about 300 years continuously.

I have written an earlier blog post, the link being …
https://lattewithphoenix.blogspot.com/2012/06/bada-mangal-of-lucknow.html

But this year 2020 came as a break for the first time due to the Corona infection & subsequent lockdown. All Mandirs were closed, with No Entry order.
                   
closed Mandir (courtsy - TOI)

            The month of Jeth has ended with Bhakts saying their prayers from outside locked gates, with policemen asking them to move on. Yes, a tradition, an annual event went the Corona way.

             
Darshan from closed shutters (courtsy - TOI)
As Times of India reported it …
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/a-first-in-300-years-no-bada-mangal-fair-this-time/articleshow/75685119.cms

Devotees lost out on Hanuman Darshan.

People putting up Bhandara lost out on the ashirwad of public.

Petty businesspersons lost out on an yearly income.

Children lost out a fun filled outing in their summer holidays.

Lucknow missed an event.

Deserted courtyard of Hanuman Mandir during month of Jeth (courtsy - Now Lucknow)
             
All because of CORONA.


Comments

  1. Ratan M Lal10 June 2020 at 10:30

    Thanks for the highly informative article.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rashi10 June 2020 at 20:15

    Very accurate write up. It is very unfortunate that the tradition had to take a break. Hope we can make up for it next Bada Mangal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indra Mani Lal12 June 2020 at 10:19

      Yes Rashi, I too hope that this was a one time missed event.

      Delete
  3. Manju12 June 2020 at 21:34

    Yes,Bada Mangal is definitely a unique event of Lucknow. Those who are out of Lucknow miss Bada Mangal..very unfortunate that Corona made LUcknowites miss this event.
    Next year, we all will be there to celebrate it..
    Keep writing such interesting blogs..

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rashmi13 June 2020 at 09:42

    Very nice informative writeup. Reminded me of the days when we went for darshan very early in morning . Hope the bhandara was served to migrants and poor this year

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rashmi13 June 2020 at 09:46

    Very nice informative article, reminded me of the times when we went to the mandir
    very early in the morning for darshan. Hope the bhandara was served to the migrants and the poor

    ReplyDelete

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