(Left) First look of Lalbaugcha Raja (Photo: Instagram/kambliarts); (Right) Idol maker or murtikaar Santosh Kambli with Lalbaugcha Raja in the year 2023. (Photos: Instagram/kamblisantosh)
The first look of Bombay‘s Lalbaugcha Raja It was unveiled on Thursday ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, which is to be celebrated on Saturday, September 7. The Lalbaugcha Raja of Parel is undoubtedly the most famous idol of Lord Ganesha, known as “Navasacha Ganpati, meaning “the one who grants all wishes,” attracts millions of devotees every year.
He Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal organizes the celebration of this pandal. The mandal was founded in 1934 by the fishermen of the Colí Community at Lalbaug market. For over eight decades, the Kambli family has been making and protecting the idol of Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati. In fact, the idol of Lalbaugcha Raja is made at Kambli Arts, which owns the copyright of Lalbaugcha Raja’s face.
Located in Chinchpokli, Kambli Arts was founded in 1920 by Ratnakar Kambli, a sculptor who participated in several festivals across the country. MaharashtraIn 1935, the organisers commissioned him to create the idol and the tradition of protecting Lalbaugcha Raja began. After his death in 1952, his eldest son Venkatesh took over the business and the responsibility of making the idol. In 2002, Ratnakar Madhusudan Kambli took over and today, his eldest son Santosh Ratnakar Kambli runs Kambli Arts and continues the legacy of making the idol of Lalbaugcha Raja. In an earlier interview, Santosh had revealed that all the members of the Kambli family are involved in the creation of the idol and most of them have graduated from Sir JJ School of Art in Mumbai. However, Santosh has a degree in marketing and being a sculptor runs in his veins. He has not received any professional training; instead, he learnt the trade on the job.
Research is extremely important in creating the idol and since the themes change every year, careful selection is essential. The parts of the Lord Ganesha idol are made at the Kambli Arts workshop, then brought to the pandal, assembled and painted. Finally, the eyes are drawn by the head of the Kambli family, who has been looking after Lalbaugcha Raja.
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