Mumbai’s Ganesh mandal, Andhericha Raja, to be dressed up in designer wear

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The Andhericha Raja, a 54-year-old Ganesh mandal, has got a US-based designer, Sai Suman, to dress up the idol for all days of the festival.

A glimpse of the look was seen on Tuesday night, when the idol was taken to the pandal, with the Bappa wearing a magenta shawl with golden handwork and a blue satin dhoti.

On the first day of the festival on Monday, the Bappa will also wear a 24-carat gold broche.

Speaking about the intricate work on her designs, Suman said she kept the dhoti simple with a fall, similar to a costume worn for Bharatnatyam. With bright and festive colours, the shawl has handwork, golden aplic work, sequence and mirror work.

Suman, a devotee of Andhericha Raja since childhood, said as she was in the country this time, she decided to volunteer for the job.

During the festival, the idol will sport a crown with 3-kg gold worth ₹1.25 crore. The crown was made four years ago during the mandal’s golden jubilee. They had collected small pieces of gold donated by devotees to design the crown.

“During our golden jubilee celebration four years ago, Suman had designed clothes for the idol. Ever since, we have had devotees who donate cloth material and we then get the idol’s clothes stitched with a local tailor,” said Uday Salian, spokesperson for Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav SamitI (popularly known as Andhericha Raja).

“My faith [in Ganpati] has helped me grow in life, both personally and professionally,” said Suman.

Suman has earlier designed clothes for The Big Bang Theory actor Johnny Galecki during Emmy Awards.