Start at Lalbaug: The Anchor Stop
Lalbaug cha Raja is the obvious beginning, and for once the obvious choice is correct. The mandal has operated since 1934, and the idol here draws queues that can run six to eight hours for close darshan. Do not attempt close darshan on this route, the day won't survive it. Instead, join the darshan from the moving public lane, which keeps things to under an hour on most mornings before 8 a.m. The pandal structure changes every year, and the team behind it typically sources the theme months in advance, so the craftsmanship is worth a slow look even from the outer lane.
