Ganeshotsav 2024: Ganpati mandal in Mumbai creates 52-foot replica of Vivekananda Memorial

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The Bandra West Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal in Mumbai has recreated a 52-foot replica of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, located at Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, for public viewing on the occasion of Ganeshotsav 2024 festivities. The memorial in Tamil Nadu is built in honour of late spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda.

The Bandra-based mandal is renowned for recreating the exact replicas of prominent places of worship. Last year, it had recreated the replica of Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar temple and the years prior to it, the mandal had made replicas of Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand, Lord Vitthal temple in Maharashtra, the Pashupatinath temple of Nepal, Sai Samadhi Mandir of Shirdi, and Goa's Shri Mangesh, reported news agency PTI.

"For Ganeshotsav 2024, the mandal has recreated the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial. Special lamps that have been brought from Hyderabad will be an attraction for youngsters," said Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and legislator Ashish Shelar, who is the chief advisor of this mandal, which is in its 29th year of Ganeshotsav celebrations.

During the silver jubilee year celebrations in 2020, the mandal had recreated the replica of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak's house in Ratnagiri. Tilak had made the Ganeshotsav celebrations public in Maharashtra to promote social unity during the colonial rule.

"The mandal is housed in Bandra Reclamation, and inhabitants from different castes and religions participate and celebrate every festival with the same excitement and enthusiasm here. Every year, many dignitaries from the fields of films, sports, politics and social sector visit this mandal to seek the blessings of Lord Ganpati, making it one of the most prominent mandals," Shelar said.

The Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a monument and popular tourist attraction off mainland of Vavathurai in Kanyakumari. It stands on one of the two rocks located about 500 metres from the southern tip of India. In 1970, the Vivekananda Memorial Committee built the memorial in honour of Swami Vivekananda, who is said to have attained enlightenment while meditating on these rocks, around December 1892.

The Ganeshotsav 2024 festivities began in Maharashtra and other parts of the world on Saturday amid great enthusiasm. In the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his family, performed the 'Aarti' on Ganesh Chaturthi, and offered prayers for the prosperity and happiness of the people.

(With PTI inputs)