Mumbai, Aug 20 - Nearly 15 years ago, Mumbai housewife Neha V. yearned for a child. Though she and her husband were not known to have any medical complications, they were unable to have a child. This was when they visited the famous Lord Ganesh temple in Andheri west, renowned as 'Andhericha Raja' (King of Andheri).

Neha stood in the queue with thousands of others seeking some or other favour from the god who is considered the remover of obstacles, and prayed that if she bore a male child, she would sponsor the 8.5-foot tall idol of Lord Ganesh the following year.

Her wish was fulfilled and the following year the couple had a male child.

She applied to the Andhericha Raja Sarvajnik Ganeshotsav Mandal (ARSGM) to complete the formalities for sponsoring the Ganesh idol. She was taken aback to learn that there was a long queue of devotees for this, too!

After a long 13-year wait, Neha's name came up in an open lottery and she is the proud and happy sponsor of the Lord Ganesh idol for the 2009 Ganeshotsav, at an approximate cost of Rs.50,000.

Over the past two decades, Andhericha Raja is credited with fulfilling the diverse wishes and desires - from acquiring a house to a good marriage, success in jobs or business to begetting a son or daughter - of millions of his devotees.

'Presently, we have full bookings till 2028 for sponsorships ranging from the idol, the jewellery and expensive attire that adorn the elephant-headed god, to the pandal, the Prasad for all devotees, and decorations, etc,' said ARSGM spokesman Uday Salian.

Hence, the ARSGM has closed sponsorships for all categories for the next three years. But according to Salian, the present number of hopeful devotee-applicants will take care of all the sponsorships till 2052.

Andhericha Raja, considered the suburban equivalent of Mumbai's iconic 'Lalbaugcha Raja' in south-central part of the city, has steadily grown in stature and the faith of the devotees over the past 43 years; 2009 is the 44th year, said Salian.

'It was in 1966 when around 50 blue-collared employees of the Golden Tobacco Company, Vile Parle West, Tata Special Steel, Borivli East and Excel Industries Ltd, Goregaon West, moved from south Mumbai to the suburban Andheri.