Every year, between May and June, Lucknow comes alive during the ‘Bada Mangal’ festival. With every passing year, the festival just gets bigger and more extravagant as people from all sections of the society come together to celebrate it.
What makes the occasion extra special are the scenes of communal harmony during this time. Hindus and Muslims unite to celebrate the two-month-long festival. Langars are organised across the city every Tuesday and food and cool drinks are served to one and all. The festival is celebrated through the month leading to Hanuman Jayanti.
Bada Mangal festival has an interesting history, which is linked to the 300-year-old Aliganj Hanuman temple.
This temple was built by a Muslim queen named Alia Begum after she saw Lord Hanuman in her dreams. As per one of the folklore, a child was born to her with the blessings of the temple deity. The impressed queen organised a fair in the city as an offering.
Since then, this festival has been celebrated with full fervour. A beautiful example of the Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb, this festival upholds the idea of communal harmony and tolerance.
