Kids win hearts at immersion procession in city

PUNE: The cultural capital of the State was filled with festive fervour as people were mesmerised by dhol tasha pathaks (troupes) and roads were covered with beautiful rangolis. However, what grabbed eye-balls was the sight of children participating in the procession and winning hearts with their lively performance. 

LOVED BY ALL
A troupe (pathak) of 40 special children from Kamayani Udyog Kendra (a vocational training centre for the mentally challenged), SB Road, participated in the day-long immersion procession. 

The Ghosh Pathak (band) from the organisation dressed up in the band costumes, played the cymbals during the immersion procession of Kasba Ganpati Mandal, the village deity of Pune and first manacha (revered) Ganpati.  Manager of the organisation Kalidas Supate, while speaking to Sakal Times, said, “Every year, people wait for the performance by our Ghosh Pathak. It comprises special children from our school. The students started practising for the event two months ago.”

“Daiwat Limon, the sports teacher of the school trained the students,” said Supate. Limon has won a national award in the field of empowerment of persons with disabilities. 

Supate said School Vice Chairman Srilekha Kulkarni encourages the students every year to participate in the procession. 

CHILDREN TAKE CHARGE
Another troupe that enthralled the audience was Ramanbaug Pathak, in which six to seven kids aged five to 10 played the drums during the procession and wowed the audience with their extraordinary zeal. 

The kids were being guided by the older members of the troupe, Dhairya Trivedi, being one of them. 

Jai (10) was loved by the audience as his enthusiasm was greeted with cheers by the crowd. The pathak has been performing for the last 28 years.  

SHOWING GIRL POWER
The girls from the residential Rani Laxmibai Mulinchi Sainiki Shala also participated in the immersion procession. It was an all-girls troupe. All the girls were in military uniform, while one girl performed acrobatics on a rope during the procession.