For most of the year, Dharampeth’s Lane No 4 near Zenda Chowk is an ordinary lane, easy to pass without a second glance. During Ganesh Chaturthi, it takes on a completely different character. For Shri Ganesh Utsav Mandal, which is celebrating its 40th year, the annual transformation has become a tradition in itself. This year, the lane will lead visitors into Vaikunth Dham, the abode and resting place of Lord Vishnu. The installation will feature Sheshnag, Samudra Manthan and Vaikunth Dham, with the mandal aiming to recreate the grandeur associated with the divine realm. “Vaikunth Dham is the resting place of Lord Vishnu, so we wanted the pandal itself to reflect the grandiosity of that setting,” said mandal member Ankit Purohit.

 

“The pandal has a proper architectural structure. We have not used curtains and temporary coverings. The pillars and other structural elements are meant to make the setting feel more authentic to the theme, rather than simply creating a backdrop around the idol.” Alongside the main installation, the mandal is continuing its long-standing tradition of presenting ‘jhankis’. This year’s ‘jhanki’ will depict episodes from the Ramayan. Idols of Lord Ram, Sita Devi, Lord Hanuman, and others will be seen.

 

The idols are brought from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, particularly Rajnandgaon, and workers travel from there, and assemble and maintain the display through the 10 days of the festival. The tradition of presenting such ‘jhankis’ has itself come from the neighbouring regions of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Ganpati idol, sourced from the city itself, will occupy the main sanctum, while the Ramayan ‘jhanki’ will be housed in a space immediately beside it. The mandal’s elaborate themes have previously included Sheesh Mahal, Raj Mahal and Vidyut Mahal, that have gained widespread appreciation on social media. Mandal members have urged citizens to visit the pandal in large numbers.