Offerings
“The stage, where the idol is seated, needs constant cleaning and the space that we get is not even enough to stand Mr. Tall Brush! Devotees enter the deity area in two rows and get to do darshan from a distance of six feet. There is a continuous flow of air-borne offerings aimed at the stage from all sides. Some of these fall short and land on the floor before the stage. Being a high traffic area, we have to constantly either pick or remove what falls on the floor. Flowers, garlands, incense stick packets, gold & silver offerings, currency notes and coins, and the risky one is the coconut which is thrown randomly. The team standing on the stage have to be alert not to get hurt and keep themselves safe. All these offerings on the stage are filled in garbage bags and the team which is strategically positioned, pass it on from one to another to the collection area. In the presence of the Trust member, the offerings are separated – the disposables are removed and the valuables handed over to the authorities. Here again, SMS team has been trained to refrain from any kind of temptation to steal and to cautiously handover the valuables,” said Prashant.
Footwear
There is a strong belief among the devotees that their difficulties will fall apart if they leave behind their footwear. “Usually, when there is such a large crowd, footwear tends to get damaged easily. People in their eagerness and hurry discard their chappals everywhere. About 70-80 jumbo garbage bags filled with footwear, plastic disposables, empty bottles and packets of sweets are collected and dumped every day.
“During the festival days, it is not possible for the municipal workers to come inside the market. Waste from the market, nearby housing societies and soiled disposables from different events organized rotationally by numerous private mandals in the vicinity are disposed by our team. A periodic cleaning and waste collection from Medical assistance rooms is done carefully. Our team are trained and well equipped with PPE like gloves and face mask to offer service in this area.
Assistance
“SMS engages in guiding and helping devotees which also include children, aged people and those requiring assistance through the helpdesks or assistance rooms. These areas are well equipped with enough drinking water and first aid. This is important as the team cannot leave their designated positions. Even to walk across the crowd to fetch a glass of water will take hours.”
Rains Issues
This festival falls during the seasonal rains making cleaning all the more challenging. “Hence, to ensure that people do not step over litter and turn the place messier, we avoid any kind of accumulation of waste. Potholes in heavy rains are filled with soil immediately to prevent anybody from falling. We try and keep all the areas including the washrooms slip-free.”
Coordination
The SMS team is equipped with walkie-talkies for better communication for immediate service delivery and co-ordination with activist/ volunteers/ members especially required in the movement of large bins from between the crowd. Crowd management forms the pulse of the entire operations of SMS. It is in the gaps created in between that cleaning actually takes place. Following the Visarjan (immersion of the idol on the 11th day), the team sets about cleaning the entire vicinity for the next three to four days, restoring it to the original set up. SMS, thus contributes to a safe, clean, accident-free and peaceful experience for devotees visiting Lalbaugcha Raja.
