For mankind, above religion

In 1893, Bal Gangadhar Tilak turned Ganeshotsav into a large, public event. His message and idea to bring people from every possible community together is still very rampant across the state. Every year, the city too tries its best to make this a festival for all rather than just for a particular community.

The enthusiasm and commitment of various communities during the festival is incredible.

Shivram Tarun Mandal Trust, founded in 1965, has been actively involved in getting together people from all walks of life to celebrate Ganeshotsav. Their idea is to spread joy and harmony in society. To start with they distribute food among 800 underprivileged people.

Asif Sheikh, (27), president of the mandal, said, “This initiative is for the betterment of humanity and mankind. We believe it is important to look beyond religions and castes. We prefer to bond and spread happiness among people around us than harp on religious offerings.”

He added that during the 10-day festival, one person from every community performs the rituals and interacts with the people present.

The mandals celebrate every festival throughout the year with equal zest and zeal. 

Ramesh Vichare, a member of the society, said, “Our area has people from different communities and religions. We wanted a platform where we could bond and work towards the betterment of society. With these celebrations we get people to come forward and spread the message of peace and harmony with various events.”

The mandal collects funds for the deprived section of society. Vichare said, “As a part of society, we feel it is our responsibility to help each other and make it a much better place to live in.”
The members of the mandal feel it helps to connect at grass root levels of society and spread a positive message of brotherhood among communities.