Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor’s boyfriend, Shikhar Pahariya, is feeling the post-festival blues as Mumbai’s beloved Ganeshotsav comes to an end. Like countless devotees across the city, he is already missing the divine presence of Lord Ganesha after the 10-day festivities.
Shikhar recently took to Instagram to share his heartfelt goodbye to the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja. He posted a series of pictures from the visarjan (immersion) ceremony, showing the grand idol and the emotional scenes at the beach as devotees bid farewell.
His caption captured the sentiment of the entire city, writing: “Victory to Lalbaugcha Raja! Ganapati Bappa Moraya .. Come soon next year The city of dreams bows to the remover of obstacles.”
For those unfamiliar, the Lalbaugcha Raja is not just any idol—it’s one of Mumbai’s most famous and revered Ganesha pandals. The story behind it is a fascinating part of the city’s history. The Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal was originally founded in 1934 by the local fishing (Koli) community. They made a vow to Lord Ganesha for a permanent market space after their old market at Peru Chawl was shut down.
Their prayers were answered when a landlord dedicated a plot for what is now the Lalbaug Market. In gratitude, the community established the Ganesha idol on September 12, 1934. This year, the beloved Lalbaugcha Raja celebrates an incredible 92 years of faith and devotion.
The festival is a massive cultural event, drawing over a million visitors daily during its 11-day run. Its scale is so grand that the celebrations were cancelled only once in recent history—in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic—breaking an 86-year tradition.
On the work front, Janhvi Kapoor will be seen next in the highly anticipated film ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’, co-starring Varun Dhawan.
