Pune: The Ganesh festival of Pune city this year would be a low key affair owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The public Ganesh festival (Ganeshotsav) which has always been the centre of attraction across the country sees a turnover of Rs 20,000 crore. But this year it would be celebrated with simplicity and sans fanfare.
This year due to the pandemic, the five Manache (first five Ganpati) Ganpati mandals in a meeting convened on Thursday decided that the festival this year would be a low-key affair giving priority to public safety and society’s health.
How will the festival be celebrated?
In a virtual meeting, this decision was taken. The festival will be celebrated keeping the traditions intact, but all the rituals will be carried out with utmost simplicity. Similarly, all the safety measures will be taken to ensure that when the devotees will visit the mandap.
Similarly, it was decided that all other public programmes will be scrapped this year in order to avoid the crowd in one place.
Decision regarding the procession
The members at the meeting also said that the decision regarding the procession will be taken according to the situation and considering the larger public interest. We will be cooperating with the police and the administration by following all the rules and regulations that are laid by them. Similarly, the nature of the festival will be decided after taking into confidence the 5,000 odd small and big Ganeshmandals across the city.
An appeal by the committee members
The committee members have appealed to all the Ganesh mandals as not to put any mask on the face of the Ganesh idol to protect its sanctity and to save it from any disregard or deface.
The public Ganesh festival was started in Pune way back in 1892 by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak to fight against the British unitedly.
The meeting was attended by Kasba Ganpati Mandal (First Manacha Ganpati and village deity) president Shrikant Shete, Tambadi Jogeshwari mandal (Second Manacha Ganpati) president Rajabhau Tikar, Guruji Talim mandal (Third Manacha Ganpati) president Pravinsheth Pardeshi, Tulshibagh Mandal (Fourth Manacha Ganpati) Vivek Khatavkar and Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari mandal (Fifth Manacha) mandal president Sanjeev Jawale and Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati trust vice-president Sunil Rasane among many other members.
