Pune: The Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Trust has also decided to go low on festivities this year in view of the Covid-19 outbreak in the city. The Ganesh idol will be installed in the temple itself and devotees will be offered an online darshan facility.
The Trust has appealed to all citizens to stay safe at home during the 10-day festival which will be celebrated from August 22. Trust members have informed that devotees should avail the online darshan and aarti facility as they won’t be allowed to enter the temple or pandal during the festival.
The three-foot-tall idol of Bhau Rangari Ganpati is installed in the temple situated in Budhwar Peth. The idol was made with paper pulp 129 years ago and is painted every year. It signified Lord Ganesha killing a demon – the Britishers – when the 10-day long public festival was started to bring together all revolutionaries participating in the independence struggle. The mandal has not sought vargani from the residents so far.
Sanjeev Javale, President of the Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Trust said, “All traditional and religious rituals will be performed as usual in the temple during the Ganeshotsav. Devotees or visitors will not be allowed entry inside the temple or pandal in view of the security and health measures undertaken to curb the spread of coronavirus. To avoid inconvenience and help devotees take darshan and aarti, we have arranged for the online facility through our website.”
“We appeal to all citizens to do Ganesh idol immersion at their home and avoid stepping out of homes unnecessarily,” Javale appealed.
A cultural fest has also been organised and will be broadcasted live to all devotees and Punekars. Interested citizens can visit www.shrimantbhausahebrangariganpati.com website and watch these cultural programs free of cost. The trust has also decided to give assistance to various stakeholders of the Ganeshotsav including bullock cart owners, pandal, sound and light system operators and more, said Javale.
