Home / Lifestyle / Devotee's Plight: Journey to See Mumbai's Iconic Idol
Devotee's Plight: Journey to See Mumbai's Iconic Idol
17 Sep
Summary
- A disabled man travels hours to see Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja idol.
- He seeks blessings for his livelihood after losing his paan stall.
- He vows to return next year only if his stall is restored.
Amit Shiwalkar, 48, embarked on a challenging journey from Govandi to Parel to seek blessings at Lalbaugcha Raja, Mumbai's prominent Ganesh idol. Despite his hereditary spastic paraplegia, which significantly impacts his mobility, Shiwalkar, aided by friends carrying him on a plank, reached the pandal. He received a distant view, a 'mukh darshan', but couldn't perform the 'charan sparsh darshan' he desired.
This annual pilgrimage is Shiwalkar's fifth since surviving a serious head injury four years ago in the Lalbaug-Parel area. This year, his visit carried an additional solemn vow for the recovery of his paan stall, lost nearly a year prior to his current visit. The stall was his livelihood for nearly a decade.
Shiwalkar expressed his desire to earn a livelihood with dignity, stating that losing his stall meant losing his window to the world. He also shared his distress over being mistaken for a beggar due to his disability, recalling an instance where he was given money anonymously. He emphasized his resolve not to beg and the hurt caused by such pity.
His friends, who have supported him for over a decade, especially after his accident, took a day off work to accompany him. Shiwalkar declared that if his stall is not returned by next year, he will not return to Lalbaugcha Raja, as his primary need is to regain his livelihood.
