It is that time of the year when the city comes alive in festive fervour. It is Ganesh Chaturthi. Lord Ganesha becomes the palette for the innovative creations of the hundreds of Mitra Mandals in the Pune city. It is the point of attraction of mine as well as most of the photographer.
When Ganapti comes then the aura got created, that is completely different than any other festival.
For me or anyone,the biggest excitement is selection of Ganpati Idol and decoration.
Every member of family contributes in every task related to Bappa Ustav. Baccha company (kids) are specially exited about this as they get priority in selection process.
In Pune, Ganesh festival is celebrated in very large scale. Every Ganpati mandal decorates their mandal at their best and its really amazing.
Most of the famous ones are around the Dagdusheth halwai Ganapati Temple and Shaniwar Wada. Apart from the 5 main Ganapatis, the smaller ones setup by various mitra mandals are also very interesting to look at. You can find around 100 mandals in 1 sq.km area.
Best way to go here is by PMT bus or Cab. Just reach to Shaniwar wada or park your veihcle at Shaniwar wada and then start walking towards DagaduSheth Halwai mandir. At some distance on left hand side, you will find a way to Kasaba Ganpati. It is the First Ganapati from 5 respectable Ganpati. In every corner of these narrow road, there is almost one mandal having decent decoration.
Below are the 5 Respected (Maanache) Ganpati :
1. Kasaba Ganpati : An idol of Lord Ganesha was found near the house of Vinayak Thakar, who used to reside close to the residence of Masaheb Jijabai Bhosale. The temple was built by Shivaji Maharaj & Jijabai Bhosale in the year 1639.
The immersion process at the end of the 10th day is led by Shri Kasba Ganpati. Only after the idols from this mandal are immersed can the other mandals begin theirs. The Mayor along with the Commissioner of Pune offer prayers and then kick start one of the best going away party in Pune.
2. Tambadi Jogeshwari : Tambdi Jogeshwari is the temple of Goddess Durga who is regarded as the (Gramdevi)patron deity of Pune City. Here the speciality is that, the statue of Lord Ganesha is immersed every year at the end of Ganesotsav and re-established again in the successive year.
Though the temple was built in 15th century, the statue of Goddess Durga is still intact. The Ganesh Idol was being established in the temple itself until the year 2000. Since 2000, a separate pendal is put before the temple and the idol is established in dome made of silver.
3. Guruji Talim :Guruji Talim is the 3rd respected Ganapati in Pune. It was first established in 1887 by two Hindu & Muslim families of Bhiku Shinde and Ustaad Nalban. This is the reason why Guruji Talim symbolises Hindu-Muslim unity in Pune.
This mandal was established way before Lokmanya Tilak started the Sarvajanik Ganesotsav; thus making them the first mandal to celebrate their Platinum Jubilee.
4. Tulshibaug Ganapati :Tulshibaug Ganpati is the 4th respected Ganapati in Pune. It was first established in 1901. This mandal holds the honor of establishing the first Glass Fiber statue since 1975. It is located in the heart and the most crowded part of the city.
The statue is 13 ft. tall and wear ornaments that weigh more than 80 kgs. Artist D.S. Khatawkar has been decorating the statue since years.
5. Kesari wada : Kesariwada Ganapati is the 5th respected Ganapati in Pune. Since its inception in 1894, the Kesari Trust’s Ganesh festival used to be organised at Vinchurkar Wada, off Kumthekar Road, which was then the ancestral home of the Tilaks. Then in 1905, it was shifted to Gaikwad Wada, presently known as Kesariwada.
Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati : the most revered Ganapti in Pune. A tip: Everyone tries to enter through Tulshibaug. Don’t do that. You will be diverted by the cops around the temple in a circuitous route (but then you may get to see many other smaller mandals!). Instead of that retrace through Laxmi road and you can join the queue from the front. This year, they made a small, but significant change. The road was split by a barrier , for those who want to go inside the mandal and those who just wanted to walk by. This helped a lot as we were able to get much closer and then exit through the by lane.
How to go: I am attaching map to help you out.
You can find some glimps of my Ganpati Photowalk.
When Ganapti comes then the aura got created, that is completely different than any other festival.
For me or anyone,the biggest excitement is selection of Ganpati Idol and decoration.
Every member of family contributes in every task related to Bappa Ustav. Baccha company (kids) are specially exited about this as they get priority in selection process.
Baccha party in Miravnuk
In Pune, Ganesh festival is celebrated in very large scale. Every Ganpati mandal decorates their mandal at their best and its really amazing.
Most of the famous ones are around the Dagdusheth halwai Ganapati Temple and Shaniwar Wada. Apart from the 5 main Ganapatis, the smaller ones setup by various mitra mandals are also very interesting to look at. You can find around 100 mandals in 1 sq.km area.
Best way to go here is by PMT bus or Cab. Just reach to Shaniwar wada or park your veihcle at Shaniwar wada and then start walking towards DagaduSheth Halwai mandir. At some distance on left hand side, you will find a way to Kasaba Ganpati. It is the First Ganapati from 5 respectable Ganpati. In every corner of these narrow road, there is almost one mandal having decent decoration.
Below are the 5 Respected (Maanache) Ganpati :
1. Kasaba Ganpati : An idol of Lord Ganesha was found near the house of Vinayak Thakar, who used to reside close to the residence of Masaheb Jijabai Bhosale. The temple was built by Shivaji Maharaj & Jijabai Bhosale in the year 1639.
The immersion process at the end of the 10th day is led by Shri Kasba Ganpati. Only after the idols from this mandal are immersed can the other mandals begin theirs. The Mayor along with the Commissioner of Pune offer prayers and then kick start one of the best going away party in Pune.
2. Tambadi Jogeshwari : Tambdi Jogeshwari is the temple of Goddess Durga who is regarded as the (Gramdevi)patron deity of Pune City. Here the speciality is that, the statue of Lord Ganesha is immersed every year at the end of Ganesotsav and re-established again in the successive year.
Though the temple was built in 15th century, the statue of Goddess Durga is still intact. The Ganesh Idol was being established in the temple itself until the year 2000. Since 2000, a separate pendal is put before the temple and the idol is established in dome made of silver.
3. Guruji Talim :Guruji Talim is the 3rd respected Ganapati in Pune. It was first established in 1887 by two Hindu & Muslim families of Bhiku Shinde and Ustaad Nalban. This is the reason why Guruji Talim symbolises Hindu-Muslim unity in Pune.
This mandal was established way before Lokmanya Tilak started the Sarvajanik Ganesotsav; thus making them the first mandal to celebrate their Platinum Jubilee.
4. Tulshibaug Ganapati :Tulshibaug Ganpati is the 4th respected Ganapati in Pune. It was first established in 1901. This mandal holds the honor of establishing the first Glass Fiber statue since 1975. It is located in the heart and the most crowded part of the city.
The statue is 13 ft. tall and wear ornaments that weigh more than 80 kgs. Artist D.S. Khatawkar has been decorating the statue since years.
5. Kesari wada : Kesariwada Ganapati is the 5th respected Ganapati in Pune. Since its inception in 1894, the Kesari Trust’s Ganesh festival used to be organised at Vinchurkar Wada, off Kumthekar Road, which was then the ancestral home of the Tilaks. Then in 1905, it was shifted to Gaikwad Wada, presently known as Kesariwada.
Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati : the most revered Ganapti in Pune. A tip: Everyone tries to enter through Tulshibaug. Don’t do that. You will be diverted by the cops around the temple in a circuitous route (but then you may get to see many other smaller mandals!). Instead of that retrace through Laxmi road and you can join the queue from the front. This year, they made a small, but significant change. The road was split by a barrier , for those who want to go inside the mandal and those who just wanted to walk by. This helped a lot as we were able to get much closer and then exit through the by lane.
How to go: I am attaching map to help you out.
You can find some glimps of my Ganpati Photowalk.
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