Viral videos show ordinary devotees being jostled and hurried through crowded darshan areas.
Lalbaugcha Raja mandal says it does not issue VIP passes or charge devotees.
A 2025 human rights complaint had also alleged preferential treatment and poor crowd management.
Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja is drawing lakhs of devotees during Ganeshotsav, but viral videos showing ordinary visitors being pushed and hurried through the darshan area have raised questions over crowd management and alleged preferential treatment.
The 93rd Lalbaugcha Raja Ganeshotsav began on September 14 and will continue until Anant Chaturdashi on September 25. The mandal's official website lists two main forms of darshan - Mukh Darshan and Charan Sparsh Darshan, both of which are free. The latter allows devotees to approach the idol's feet and attracts particularly long queues.
Reports this year have put waiting times at 12–15 hours or more, particularly for Charan Sparsh Darshan. A Pudhari report on September 15 said some devotees had waited 15–16 hours, while videos circulating online showed people being jostled and moved quickly through the crowded area.
One widely shared social-media post questioned why ordinary devotees who had waited overnight could not be given even 15 seconds for a peaceful darshan, while alleging that VIP visitors could receive more comfortable access.
What The Videos Show
The videos provide a visible contrast, ordinary devotees appear packed together and are sometimes hurried through the final stretch, while footage of some prominent visitors appears to show them spending more time near the idol or taking photographs.
However, the footage alone does not establish that those visitors received an officially designated "VIP darshan". Nor does it show who authorised any special access or why a particular visitor was allowed to remain longer.
This distinction is important because the Lalbaugcha Raja mandal has said it does not issue VIP darshan passes or charge devotees for darshan. Its official 2026 information also does not list a paid VIP category.
That, however, leaves a broader question, are there informal or security-related arrangements for prominent visitors that result in different access?
The VIP Question Was Raised In 2025 Too
The issue is not new. In September 2025, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission took cognisance of a complaint alleging special treatment for VIP visitors and ill-treatment of ordinary devotees.
The complaint alleged that women, children and senior citizens were among those facing problems, and raised concerns over crowd management in the narrow lanes leading to the pandal. The commission issued notices to the mandal's secretary, Maharashtra's chief secretary, BMC commissioner and Mumbai police commissioner, asking authorities to explore alternative arrangementsd.
