Lucknow: From sterile couples, jobless youth to those seeking visa to fly abroad, they all stand in a queue to pen a letter to the lord of good luck with the hope that he will make their wishes come true.
Ashmita and her husband Shiv Gopal Mishra, who have been writing letters to Lord Ganesh since 2012 said they were blessed with a child and own a restaurant in Charbagh after they wrote to the deity. "By God's grace, we got what we wished for and now all we want is a house of our own," said the couple, chanting the mantra on the letter-pad.
Among numerous Ganesh pandals made across the city to attract a crowd of devotees, Ramadheen Ganesh pandal, which has place for 7 lakh devotees is drawing huge crowds. Apart from its 12ft giant
Ganpati
idol, decorated with jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh, the pandal is popular for its Ganpati who fulfills wishes through letters. "It's been three years since I have been trying to get my visa made but something or else doesn't let that happen. I've heard from many that no wish written in letters goes in vain here, so I'll write one to get my visa," said Shubhashish, a software engineer.
Advocate
Nidhi
is praying to get selected in the exams for civil court. "I believe in his (Lord Ganesh's) powers and am sure I will crack the exam this time," she said.
"I wish my son gets married and is blessed with a baby," said a devotee who makes it a point to visit the pandal on all 10 days. Another devotee, preparing for NIFT, came with the hope that 'Bappa' would fulfil her wish. "I will be appearing for
NIFT
for the second time and I hope
Bappa helps get me through this time," she said.
When devotees write a letter to the Ganpati with their wishes, they write the mantra 'Om Gan Ganpatye Namah' 108 times followed by their wish in the letter. The tradition is on for the last four years and devotees claim their wishes have been fulfilled. School students too, come directly to the pandal after their schools is over and slip their wish into the letter box.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.