Pune, 28 August 2025: In a remarkable show of devotion, nearly 35,000 women gathered at the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Mandal early Thursday morning to recite the Atharvashirsha and perform the Mahaaarti on the occasion of Rishi Panchami.
The event, organised by the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganapati Trust in association with Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal, has entered its 40th year. This year also marked the 133rd anniversary of the trust’s Ganeshotsav celebrations.
Despite overnight rain, women began arriving from 2 am, dressed in traditional attire. The ceremony began with conch shells and devotional renditions, followed by the collective Atharvashirsha recitation that echoed through the entire area from Utsav Mandap to Nana Wada. Chants of “Morya, Morya Dagdusheth Morya” filled the air as devotees raised their hands in unison before Lord Ganesha.
The ceremony concluded with a grand Mahaaarti, leaving the gathering immersed in faith and festivity. Several dignitaries attended, including MP Sunetra Pawar, Pune Division Charity Joint Commissioner Rajni Kshirsagar, Judge Kiran Kshirsagar, Trust President Sunil Rasne, Treasurer Mahesh Suryavanshi, and members of the Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal.
Speaking at the event, MP Sunetra Pawar said women from Maharashtra and across India had come together for this initiative, and she expressed her hope that Lord Ganesha’s blessings bring health, progress, and prosperity in the coming year.