This wada stands on Kumthekar Road in a dilapidated condition hardly deceiving its historical significance. It was here that the Ganesh Utsav, which has assumed a staus of industry today was started by none other than Lokmanya Tilak, 'the father of Indian unrest'. Even though it has many an ancedotes of importance associated with it, the place is fighting for the survival.
Vinchurkar Wada is about two hundred and fifty years old structure with an area of about 16,000 sq. ft. It was built by Sardar Vinchurkar, who was serving in the Peshwa's court. This structure is among those which came up immediately after the Shaniwar Wada was built. Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the public Ganesh festival to arise the Indian people against the foreign British rule. First such festivity took place in the year of 1894.
At that time, Tilak lived in Vinchurkar Wada where he lived for 15 years before shifting to Gaikwad Wada which today is known as Kesari Wada. He lived at this place from 1892 to 1905. At the time, Tilak taught to students Law here. Therefore, the Ganesh here was known as Law Class Ganpati. After Tilak shifted to Gaikwad Wada, the Ganesh festival shifted to that place. In 1994, when the centenary of Ganesh Utsav was celebrated, the celebration was revived in Wada also.
Interestingly, this wada is also the place where Lokmanya Tilak and Swami Vivekananda stayed together. Swami Vivekananda had come to Pune with Tilak after a chance meeting in a train from Bombay. Tilak brought him and Swami Vivekananda stayed in the wada for few days discussing many subjects with Tilak and other scholars. Ironically, Tilak learnt after few years that the sanyasi he met was such a great personality. Also, Kesari, the newspaper with which Tilak fought with British Raj
But such a place is standing in a dilapidated state. Except for a room, which is occupied by Khadi and Gramodyog Mandal office, few things are there to point to this rich history. Many dignitaries have promised to revive the building but nothing has helped. Ravindra Pathare, trustee of the Lokmany Tilak Pratham Prashtapit Ganpati Trust, said, "Last year state home minister R. R. Patil came here and promised to give funds for the renovation of the Wada. But nothing has happened in the one year. We hear that the Wada has been sold by the present owner. So we are not sure whether we can have a festival next year."
"Many people and mandals have prospered by Ganeshotsav but the place where it started all has been neglected a lot. Every time we approach a leader, the person shows ignorance about the origin of the festival. The situation is quite difficult and unmanagable now," Pathare said. Deepak Tilak, great grandson of Lokmanya Tilak and chief trustee of Kesari-Maratha Trust, is the chief trustee of this trust also. "Now, we are thinking of approaching central Power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde who is now on the Kesari Maratha Trust Board," said Pathare.
Dear Sir,
ReplyDeleteYou have missed the target totally. Ganeshotsav was not started in 1894. Tilak has installed Ganapati in 1893 in some other place, and over 100 Ganapatis were installed in 1894, so technically Vichurkar Wada is not the place where Ganapati started. Please talk to Dinesh Thite, journalist from DNA. He holds a PhD in Ganeshotsav and Politics. He will guide you better, atleast you will have your facts right!
Dear anonymous,
ReplyDeleteGaneshotsav was not started in 1894, but it got prominence from 1894. Tilak had not installed Ganesh at any place in 1893, but had commended an attempt of Ganeshotsav by Bhau Rangari. He had praised the experiment in an editorial in Kesari. Records available at all quarters clearly show that the Ganeshotsav, as we know it, took its form here.
I have met Dinesh Thite and he had not objected it. Neither do any scholar has objected in the last 50 years. All the facts are in right place.