It was late evening of 26th September 2015 and we were still not sure about the plans. We finalised to roam around in the Pune City only after finishing the Aarti & dinner at our Society’s Ganpati. We decided to go out to visit the famous 'Manache Ganpati' (Honour Ganeshas of Pune). Next day was the last day of Ganesh Visarjan. Me, my wife Vaishnavi, daughter Ketaki along with our neighbours family ride on our bikes. Yes bikes because one can not drive cars in the crowded roads of Pune’s heart ( called as Gaon in Marathi). We left at 10.30 in the night & reached Appa Balwant Chowk (ABC) at around 11. Roads were full with people. All eagrly waiting to pray their favourite god. We parked our bikes & decided to walk.
There are total 5 honour Ganpati Mandals in Pune. While the emersion process of Ganpati begins, these 5 have emersion sequence according to their honour. The others are emersed only after them.
Making the way through the people we first reached at Tambadi Jogeshwari Ganpati Mandal (2nd Ganpati of honour). Tambadi Jogeshwari is the gramdevi of Pune.
Now it was around 2 am & we decided to return. Near Shaniwar Wada we purchased balloons for the kids & tied them to our bikes while way back. Everybody enjoyed this short trip to worship Ganpati Bappa & said Ganpati Bappa Morya Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya (Lord Ganesha please come early next year).
Ganpati Bappa Morya!
There are total 5 honour Ganpati Mandals in Pune. While the emersion process of Ganpati begins, these 5 have emersion sequence according to their honour. The others are emersed only after them.
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| Honour Ganeshas of Pune (Manache Ganpati) |
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| Tambadi Jogeshwari |
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| Tambadi Jogeshwari |
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| Tambadi Jogeshwari |
Just nearby in Budhwar Peth is the famous Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati. Although it is not a honour Ganesh but it is the most famous Ganpati of Pune. The big mandir was built just adjacent to the main mandir. The Ganesh idol is shifted to this new place for 11 days during the Ganeshotsav. We also visited nearby Datta Mandir.
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| Dagdusheth Ganpati |
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| Dagdusheth Ganpati |
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| Datta Mandir |
Then we saw Babu Genu Ganpati. It is said that if you wish something here, it gets fulfilled. Hence its name as Navsacha Ganpati in Marathi. One interesting fact I noticed that the door keeper volunteers were Muslims.
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| Babu Genu Ganpati |
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| Babu Genu Ganpati |
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| Babu Genu Ganpati |
Madai Ganpati was nearby. Mandai means Vegetable Market in Marathi. The idol is beautiful.
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| Mandai |
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| Mandai Ganpati |
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| Mandai Ganpati |
Next on the chart was Tulsi Bag Ganpati Mandal (4th Ganpati of honour) It is also known as Mahaganpati of Pune because of the idol size. It is the biggest among the honour Ganeshas. Tusli bag is well known market famous for ladies cosmetics and Pooja material.
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| Tusli Bag Ganpati |
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| Tusli Bag Ganpati |
We then went to the nearby Guruji Talim Ganpati Mandal (3rd Ganpati of honour). It is also knows as Punycha Raja (King of Pune).
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| Guruji Talim Ganpati |
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| Guruji Talim Ganpati |
All the above Ganpati Madals are located very close to one another.
Next turn was Lokmanya Tilak's Ganpati. The Kesari Wada Ganpati (5th Ganpati of honour). It is located in Narayan Peth. The place is little bit away from Guruji Talim. We crossed ABC, then walked on Laxmi road. It was a strange experience walking on the empty road. During the day time it is heavily crowded with traffic. Laxmi road is the main market road of Pune.
At Umbrya Ganpati Chowk, we saw youngsters selling tea. They were doing it for a noble cause. Their collection would go to the drought victims of Maharashtra. So we decided to support. The tea refreshed us to walk further down to N.C. Kelkar Road. We took left to reach Kesari Wada. Well you know the credit for starting Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav in India goes to Lokmanya. While he started the first Sarvajanik Ganpati Mandal in Mumbai, his own Kesari Wada Ganpati got the honour in Pune. The tradition still continues even after 100 years. This idol is very simple & not big in size. Just behind the idol is located the statue of Lokmanya. The Ganpati is kept on the ground floor of the now renovated wada. The Tilak family still stays here. The building also has the Kesari printing press. Kesari is the Marathi Daily newspaper started by Lokmanya during his efforts in freedom struggle. Thanks to the management, they allowed us to visit the press from inside. We could see the next days Kesari being printed. It was a wonderful experience. We did purchase a copy from the staff member outside the press.
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| Kesari Wada Ganpati |
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| Kesari Wada Ganpati |
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| Kesari Press |
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| Paper Sorting |
It was around 1.30am in the night & we were yet to see Kasaba Ganpati (1st Ganpati of honour). It is located near the Shaniwar Wada. It is the Gramdaivat of Pune. We took our bikes & went to Kasba Ganpati. Here the mandal has adopted a village in Maharashtra & was asking for food as donation.
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| Kasaba Ganpati |
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| Kasaba Ganpati |
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| Donation Banner |
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| Ganeshotsav Special Ad Banner |
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| Working model of a mythological story. There are many such decorations one will love to watch at night. |
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| Lord Shiva model outside a Ganpati Mandal |
Ganpati Bappa Morya!
Kedar Prakash Godse & Vaishnavi Kedar Godse
