Why is a Bhandara organised on Bada Mangal

I was in Ayodhya on 23 May 2023 and I saw the city come alive in a rather unexpectedly way. All over the city were these make shift stalls serving food to passersby. Both the serving and the ones eating were participating in this activity with great religious fervour. I never knew about this and was rather mesmerised and intrigued too.

What is a Bhandara?

Translated to simple English, a Bhandara is a community kitchen. This is a Hindi word and it would have originated when time began and Hinduism took shape. Bhandara is also the name of a district in Maharashtra which is also known as the “rice bowl of India”. Whether there is a connection between the two, we can never know.

In the old days a bhandara was usually organised by the rick folks. It is a food service as an offering or part of a prayer. It is also a way to thank the Gods. After performing prayers and religious rituals, food is served to the poor and the needy. Later Sikh religion also adopted it (Langar).

Whenever bhandara is offered, the aim is that no one will sleep hungry that night.

Another probable origin of the word is bhandar which is a store.

Another word commonly associated with this is “Vishal Bhandara”. Now this word which literally means large can also be interpreted as massive or on a higher scale with involvement of money and resources.

Bada Mangal

All the bhandaras serving food had these banners put on their stalls, “Jyeshtha mah ka teesra bada mangalwar”. A little digging, I found that the entire Eastern UP, in particular worship each Tuesday in the Hindu month of Jyeshtha as bada mangal or bada mangalwar. It is also known as bade mangalwar.

The day begins with pooja of Shri Hanuman followed by recitals of Sundar Khand and Hanuman Chalisa. After that the organisers serve food and drinks like thandai or lassi at pandals on important roads and junctions.

So in the year 2023 the mangalwars were as follows, First mangal on 9th May 2023, Second mangal on 16th May 2023, Third mangal on 23 May 2023 and Fourth mangal on 30 May 2023.

Eastern UP districts like Kanpur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Rae Bareilly, Prayagraj and Pratapgarh.

Fourth mangalwar in 2023 also coincided with Ganga Dussehra which marks the birth of Goddess Ganga.

Significance of Jyeshtha month

Jyeshtha month is the third month of the Hindu calendar. It signifies summer season and hot weather in North India, heat wave conditions.

Some important festivals fall in this month.

• Vat Purnima is celebrated in Maharashtra by married women.
• Nirjala Ekadashi which is the most stringent of all the ekadashi fasts falls in this month.
• Ganga Dussehra marks the occasion of appearance of Goddess Ganga on earth in the form of a river.
• Shani Dev Jayanti