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Lockdown casts its shadow on Lucknow”s ”Bada Mangal”.
For the first time in two and a half centuries, a tradition will be broken in Lucknow due to the lockdown. The annual ”Bada Mangal” festival will not be held with its usual grandeur and fervor due to the lockdown.
The festival that is peculiar to Lucknow and held on every Tuesday of the Hindu month of Jyeshtha — celebrating Lord Hanuman, has ponly grown bigger with each passing year. The state government even allows a designated local holiday on this festival.
The first Tuesday of the month of Jyeshtha falls on May 12 when the lockdown will be in force.
Ravi Krishan, a sweet seller outside the Aliganj Hanuman temple, said, “I do not know whether this is an ominous sign but it is unthinkable that ”Bada Mangal” will not be celebrated this year. The government should allow the temples to open on the occasion so that devotees can offer prayers.”
A senior official, who did not wish to be named, said: “There is a possibility that the Hanuman temple may be allowed to open on Bada Mangal but social distancing will be strictly enforced if it happens.”
The ”Bada Mangal” has an interesting story to it.
According to historians, the Hanuman temple in Aliganj was constructed by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan in 1798 when his mother Aliya Begum”s prayers were reportedly answered and the Nawab was blessed with a son.
Aliya Begum insisted on building the temple and the Nawab complied.
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last nawab of Oudh, continued the tradition by holding community feasts for Hanuman devotees, who believe that their prayers will be answered by the Lord on ”Bada Mangal”.
The Aliganj temple has a star and a crescent on the dome and the ”Bada Mangal” festival is a perfect example of Hindu-Muslim unity.
The over 9,000 big and small Hanuman temples in Lucknow open their doors at the stroke of midnight and devotees continue to offer prayers for almost 24 hours. So great is the devotion that even the policemen deployed inside the temples, stand barefoot and do not wear belts and leather accessories.
Those who come with special prayers, crawl their way to the temple, clad in red loincloths, and braving the searing May heat.
The local people help these devotees complete their journey by sprinkling water on the roads and offering ”sherbet”.
”Bada Mangal” is observed as a local holiday and the entire state capital gets into a festive mood.
Corporate houses, students, traders, government employees and even individuals set up stalls offering free food to devotees. Several Muslims also set up stalls for food.
In fact, there are over 50,000 stalls that are set up on every ”Bada Mangal” in Lucknow.
From the initial jaggery and grams that were offered to devotees, the ”prasad” later became ”poori sabzi” allowing the devotees a wholesome meal.
Over the years, the menu has also evolved and you can now savor burgers, chow-mein , sherbet, juices, ice creams and other delicacies at these stalls.
Though the main Hanuman temple is in Aliganj area, the festival is celebrated all over the state capital, with different colors and smells pervading the air.
Tiny fairs are held all over where one can buy curios, artifacts, jewelry, toys, snacks, beverages and games for children.
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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