PUNE: The 12-day Ganesh festival began on Monday with traditional fervour, as devotees welcomed idols into homes, housing societies and public mandals, while police closely watched compliance with noise pollution norms during processions and celebrations.
The ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremonies of the city’s five Manache Ganpatis — Kasba Ganpati, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganpati, Guruji Talim, Tulshibaug Ganpati and Kesari Wada Ganpati — were performed amid chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’. Police teams were deployed at key locations to monitor processions, crowd movement and the use of sound systems. The use of high-decibel DJ systems and other amplified sound during Ganeshotsav has emerged as a contentious issue in Pune, with authorities facing pressure to ensure that prescribed noise limits and loudspeaker restrictions are followed. The issue gained further attention following the recent assault on anti-noise activist Vidyanand Bapat, who opposed the use of high-powered sound systems during festivals. Residents, too, welcomed the traditional celebrations but wanted consistent enforcement of noise norms. “Ganeshotsav is an important part of Pune’s culture, but celebrations should not come at the cost of residents’ peace, especially late at night. We hope the police will act wherever the prescribed limits are breached. The city’s streets witnessed processions from morning, with decorated idols being carried to temporary mandaps accompanied by dhol-tasha squads and traditional musical instruments. At the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple, a flower-decked chariot carried the idol to the mandap, whose decoration this year is inspired by the Prem Mandir in Vrindavan. At Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal, the ‘pran pratishtha’ was performed by renowned classical flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, while Swami Govind Dev Giriji Maharaj, general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, performed the aarti. Guruji Talim Mandal marks its 140th year this year. The mandal created a replica of the Jagannath Puri temple, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, as part of its decoration. He added that the festival began through the collective efforts of people from different communities, reflecting Pune’s tradition of social participation and communal harmony. At Kasba Ganpati Mandal, the first Manacha Ganpati, the ‘pran pratishtha’ was performed in a traditional atmosphere. “The decoration at the Kasba Ganpati temple is modest, using natural and environmentally sustainable items. Police and civic authorities have made arrangements across the city for traffic management, crowd control, civic amenities and public safety during the festival.
“For the next 10 days, the mandal will carry out several cultural programmes and social initiatives. “The Guruji Talim Mandal Ganeshotsav began in 1887. Over the next 11 days, along with cultural events, the focus is on creating environmental awareness,” said mandal president Shrikant Shete.
The police should ensure that the rules are followed by everyone,” said Madhav Kulkarni, a resident of Sadashiv Peth. Sneha Deshpande, a resident of Kothrud, said, “People are happy to celebrate, but there is a clear difference between traditional dhol-tasha and excessively loud DJ systems. Punit Balan, trustee of the mandal, said this year’s decoration is themed ‘Shree Ganesh Swarnadham’, depicting the divine abode of Lord Ganesha. The mandal also took the festival beyond Maharashtra, sending three idols of Manache Ganpatis to Kashmir last week, he said. At Kesari Wada, trustee Rohit Tilak said the idol was welcomed with traditional musical instruments. We are also organising talks by eminent personalities from various fields,” Tilak said. On the issue of a DJ-free Ganesh festival, Tilak said everyone should follow the norms laid down by the Supreme Court. Festival chief Hardik Pardeshi said the arrival procession featured six dhol-tasha and flag squads, followed by Ashwaraj, a band and a nagara troupe. At that time, it was among the oldest talims (traditional wrestling and physical training centres) in the city,” Pardeshi said. In line with the Maharashtra Food and Drug administration’s campaign against adulteration, the mandal will also conduct awareness activities on food purity, he said.
