PUNE
With chants of Ganpati Bappa Moraya, the idols were installed at various mandals and households amidst much fanfare.
Sending out a strong message to terrorists that Puneites are not deterred by the recent serial blasts on Jungli Maharaj Road, lakhs of devotees hit the streets to welcome Lord Ganesh with fervour on Wednesday.
With huge processions of boys and girls dancing to the beats of dhol-tasha and chants of Ganpati Bappa Moraya, the Ganesha idols were installed at various mandals and households all over the city on Wednesday.
The streets in old Pune, which are usually clogged with vehicular traffic, witnessed a complete makeover with mandal workers wearing traditional attire and dancing to music to mark the first day of the biggest festival of the city.
Important mandals such as Kasba Ganpati Mandal, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganesh Mandal, Guruji Talim Mandal, Tulshibaug Ganpati Mandal, Akhil Mandai Ganpati Mandal and Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandal carried out processions in down town Pune before installing Ganesh idols in pandals.
Dhol-tasha troupes such as Shiv Garjana, Shivmudra and Rudra were seen playing the instruments in traditional attire at various mandals in the city. Visually and mentally challenged children also performed during the processions.
Since Ganesh festival in the city attracts a lot of people from all over the world, a large number of foreigners had turned up for the celebrations. Some of them could not help themselves from participating in the processions.
The first prestigious (Manacha) Ganpati, Kasba Ganpati, was installed at the pandal after a pooja was performed by noted scientist Vijay Bhatkar.
The procession started with the tunes of Prabhat Brass band followed by traditional dhol-tasha played by Samarth Pratishthan. A group of children from Samarth Pratishthan also gave a demo of sword fighting.
The procession started from Hamalwada and reached Kasba Peth via Kunte Chowk and Bajirao Road. Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganesh Mandal installed the idol at 12.30 pm after Abhay Gadgil of PN Gadgil Group performed a puja.
The Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandal started their procession at 7 am. The idol covered with flowers was kept in a chariot. Prabhat Brass band and Darbar Brass band performed during the procession which covered Appa Balwant Chowk, Shanipar and Mandai areas. The idol was finally installed in the replica of Hawa Mahal.
The city’s oldest Ganpati mandal, Bhau Rangari installed its idol at 11.30 am after a puja at the hands of deputy mayor Deepak Mankar. The mandal took out a procession at 9 am from Ratan Talkies and reached the pandal via Prabhat Talkies and Appa Balwant Chowk. Rudra and Shriram dhol-tasha troupes performed during the procession.
Due to the processions, the police had blocked Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Bajirao Road and Shivaji Road from morning till afternoon.
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