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Shreemant Halwai mandal – Ganesh Chaturthi

Pune leads the community

Every year prominent people and celebrities visit the Shreemant Halwai mandal during the 10-day festival and offer gold ornaments. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai have been there, as also Sanjay Dutt.

Ganesh Chaturthi is an occasion when the Lord of Wisdom is believed to bestow his presence on earth for his devotees, and his idols are worshipped in every household. While He may come everywhere on the earth, the elephant-headed god loves to make a special appearance in Pune, which has become synonymous with the 10-day Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav (community Ganesha festival), beginning Ganesh Chaturthi and ending on Anant Chaturdashi of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada.

Pune is the socio-cultural capital of Maharashtra and no wonder it was here that the seeds of the Sarvanajik Ganeshotsav were sown by Lokmanya Tilak over a century ago to arouse the masses against the tyrannical British rule.

Beginning with a handful of mandals, there are now 5000 and more which participate in the festivities.
The celebrations have changed over the years but the exuberance has remained the same, drawing huge crowds from all over the state and outside. Pune’s Ganesha mandals are distinguished for their colourful decorations and lighting, unlike Mumbai, which is known for the height of Ganesha idols.

These decorations are based on mythologies as well as on current issues such as Indo-US nuclear deal. In 1998, some mandals had recreated the Pokharan atomic tests. Sensing the tourism potential of the 10-day Ganeshotsav, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) started organising a ‘Pune Festival’ during the same period, inviting guests from abroad.

Tilak was inspired by the massive Ganeshotsav celebrations organised by Sardar Khasgiwale in Gwalior way back in 1892. The very next year, with the help of well-known social figures of those days like Bhau Rangari, Ganpatrao Ghovedkar, Dagadusheth Halwai and others, he made a beginning of the public festival in Pune.
While Tilak’s aim was to educate the masses, the festival took on some unwanted practices in the past few decades with erection of huge pandals, blaring loudspeakers playing vulgar numbers, extortion of money in the name of vargani (donation) and obscene dancing by youth during immersion procession.

In recent years, there has been a reawakening among the people, and the festival is regaining its old charm and values.

The stalwarts
Pune’s Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav is known for its five stalwarts. These are five most revered Ganesha mandals, which are known for their strict adherence to the true festive spirit. They are Kasba Ganapati mandal, which traditionally holds the first place in the immersion procession since 1894, Tambadi Jogeshwari, Guruji Talim, Tulshibaug and Kesariwada.

The last one was established by Tilak himself at the office of his newspaper Kesri, which played a prominent part during the initial years of the freedom movement. Kasba Ganapati is also Pune city’s Gramdaivat (presiding deity).
By far the most famous of all the Ganesha mandals in Pune, however, is Shreemant Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati, established in 1893. Shreemant literally means rich or prosperous and true to its name, this Ganapati and the mandal which organises it are the richest in every sense, from the collection of donations to the golden ornaments adorning the idol.

Year after year prominent people and celebrities visit the mandal during the 10-day festival and offer gold ornaments. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai have been there, as also Sanjay Dutt. Almost all chief ministers have made special offerings to the deity.

The mandal was started by Shreemant Dagadusheth Halwai, a local sweetmeat shop owner, who had lost his son the previous year. His spiritual guru asked him to create an idol of Ganesha and worship it as his son. With his contribution and Lokmanya’s blessings, the mandal was established.

Till 1978, the celebrations were simple. The next year, the mandal erected a huge replica of the famous Meenakshi temple. The replica was a grand success and became the highlight of the festival. Since then, the mandal has been erecting replicas of renowned temples and palaces of the country.

This year, the mandal is recreating the replica of famous Akshardhan temple of Delhi (another Akshardham temple is at Gandhinagar, which was the target of terrorist attack in 2003).

The mandal treasurer Shankarrao Suryavanshi said that work on the replica has been going on since past three and half months under the supervision of leading art director M L Kulkarni aided by 40 skilled artists. It will be inaugurated by Maharashtra’s cooperation minister Patangrao Kadam.

The money for such extravagance comes from donations given by devotees at the mandal site itself, as well from the sale of coconuts offered to the deity. In fact, what distinguishes this mandal is the number of coconut offerings. The mandal earns crores out of sale of these coconuts alone.

Historical Events in Pune

Historical Events in Pune

Year Events

1950 Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) begins operations.

1956 Hindustan Antibiotics (Pimpri) begins operations

1957 60 Industrial areas of Hadapsar, Pimpri, Chinchwad, Bhosari, etc. established

1961 Panshet dam bursts and its waters flood the city, destroying most of the older

sections, giving a chance for modern town planning concepts to be put into use

1970-80 Pune emerges as the engineering capital of the country especially in the

automotive sector with Telco, Bajaj, Kinetic, Bharat Forge, Alfa Laval, Thermax,

etc. expanding their infrastructure

1970-80 Pune rapidly establishes itself as the Oxford of the East with educational

institutions especially in the field of higher education being set up throughout

the city

1988 Pune Festival which coincides with Ganesh Chaturthi launched

1989 Dehu Road-Katraj bypass is completed, reducing traffic congestion in the inner

city

1990 Sports City comes into existence

1990 Pune begins to attract foreign capital particularly in the information technology

and engineering industries; new businesses like floriculture and food

processing begin

to take root in and around the city

1998 Work on the six-lane Pune-Mumbai Super expressway begins

1998 Pune’s first flyover is inaugurated at Dashabhuja Ganapati Chowk, Kothrud

1999 Municipal Commissioner Arun Bhatia removed from his post because his tough

stand on unauthorised constructions

1999 The five-hundred acre Software development park developed by STPI is

inaugurated near Hinjawdi on the Pune-Mumbai bypass. IT giants like Wipro

and Infosys set up shop.

PUNE’S PRIDE

P.L.Deshpande Purushottam Laxman Deshpande

The name which brings a smile to the face of any Marathi reader. P. L. Deshpande was joyful personality of Maharashtra. Every member craves
to recount one P L joke or a scene from his plays, one-man shows, films, books or whatever. He is an integrated part of Marathi Literature.

Acharya Pralhad Keshav Atre the renowned litterateur has a massive contribution to Marathi literature. He was a man who left his mark in every field that he entered. His oratorical skills mesmerised the audience, outstanding literary style, humour and his activities in various fields left an every lasting impression on the minds of Maharashtrians.

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi son of a school master from Gadag, a taluka town in Dharwad district of Karnataka was born in a Brahmin family in February 1922. The internationally acclaimed vocalist who traversed though Bijapur, Pune and finally to Gwalior in search of a guru who could get him to the particulars of Khayal-Gayaki. Till Sawai Gandharva taught him the essentials of Khayal-Gayaki. His rivals admit, there is no other vocalist today in the entire nation who can be compared with Panditji’s who has this unbelievably flexible voice.

Padmashri Dr. D.G.Kelkar (1896-1990)a resident of Pune, devoted his entire life to build Kelkar
Museum from scratch to crest with his tireless enthusiasm and efforts. Kelkar museum is nothing less than a well-knit poem of this poet-collector with different sections of the Museum as its touching stanzas and the exhibits as its flowering expressions

SHARAD PAWAR

President of Nationalist Congress Party. He was the former chief Minister of Maharashtra was a former Defence Minister of India and former Leader of Opposition in Loksabha. Always play an important role ina National Politics

Kasba Ganpati

Kasba Ganpati is the GRAM DAIVAT of Pune. Kasba Peth is near Lal Mahal & the Kasba Ganpati is the Ganpati of First Honor in Pune. So it has the First previlage in the Ganesh Utsav procession.Shivaji Maharaja’s mother Jijabai had put up the statue of Ganesh. On her behalf Dadoji Kondadev had put on a tent in front of the statue of Ganesh.Recently Jija mata Garden has been made next to it, and the statue of Jija mata has also been set there.

Parvati

This is one of the most famous landmarks of Pune. Though the hill is in the Southern half of the city, it is visible from almost every part of Pune. There are 108 steps that lead to the temple dedicated to Parvati and Devadeshwar. There are also temples dedicated to Vishnu, Ganesh and Kartikeya. Climbing to the top of the hill can be rewarding as one can enjoy an excellent paranomic view of Pune.

Pataleshwar Temple

It has temple dedicated to lord Shiva which is supposedly the shrine. The Nandi and the pillars are carved from one single rock. Located in a part of Pune known as Shivajinagar, this Shiva Temple was made in the 8th century. Cut from one rock, this temple is reminiscent of the Kailasa temple at Ellora. It has a Shiva Shrine as well as one in honour of his bull Nandi

Gurudwara ( Ganesh Peth )

This Gurudwara is in Ganesh Peth. Sikhs come to this place in large numbers. It is about 2 kms away from Pune Station. The gurudwara is open to all people irrespective of their religion but your shoes must be removed and heads should be covered. The prayers in the Gurudwara start in the early hours of morning. The birth anniversaries of the first guru, Guru Nanakdevji and tenth guru, Guru Govindsinghji are celebrated as festivals with great enthusiasm.

Omkareshwar Temple

Situated in Shaniwar Peth it is famous for its stone structure & it held on even in the floods of Panshet in 1962. Amruteshwar and Omkareshwar Shivalayas. The Omkareshwar temple which is about 250 years old has even survived in the 1962 floods which came in pune.

Asthavinayak mean eight Ganeshas.Asthavinayak Yatra concludes only after visiting all the eight temples that are a part of this yatra. This yatra is very famous not only among the Hindus but devotees from all the religions go on the famous Asthavinayak tour. It is believed that one has to complete this Asthavinayak yatra at least once in a life-time.All the eight temples are located in different parts of Maharashtra.

Moreshwar or Mayureshwar

Location: Morgaon, Pune District.>

The temple and idol:
The idol in this temple is Swayambhu that means self-generated idol with a serpent above the head. The temple has eight Ganesha idols in eight corners. These are Ekadanta, Mahodara, Gajanana, Lambodara, Vikata, Nataraja, Dhumravarna, Vakratunda. The God here is worshipped three times every day: at 7 am, around 12 in the noon and at 8 pm.

Yatra:
According to the Hindu calendar the palkhi of this Ganesh is taken out on Magha Shukla Chaturthi and Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. The palkhi travels from Chinchwad-Pune during both the Chaturthis.

Utsav:
The fair and celebrations are arranged on Vijayadashami Shukla Chaturthi and Krishna Chaturthi, Somavati Amavasya, according to the Hindu calendar.

Legend and history:
Ganesha, riding a peacock, in the form of Mayureshwara is believed to have slain the demon Sindhu at this spot.

                                                                                                 Girijatmaka – Lenyadri

                                                                                             Location: Lenyadri ,Pune District

The temple and idol:
The temple is on a hill, which has 283 steps. The hill is full of caves. The idol faces north and this particular idol has to be worshipped form the rear of the temple.

Legend and history:
It is believed that Parvati performed penance to beget Ganesha at this point. This temple stands amidst a cave complex of Buddhist origin. Little is known about its antiquity. It appears that the Ganesha idol came much later than the period in which the caves were built. The temple which stands at a hill top, is in a deserted location and there is no human habitation close by. Even the archaka (priest) lives some distance away.

Tambadi Jogeswari

Tambdi Jogeswari is the Second Ganpati of Honour in Pune. Tambdi Jogeswari was one of the early established Ganesh Mandals. The Mandal has already completed its 100 years. The Idol resembles an elephants. Various functions are organised during the festival by the Mandal. Many people take part in these events keeping social interest in mind. Many people attend the Aarti to seek blessings.

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Shreemant Halwai mandal – Ganesh Chaturthi

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