Festivals Are Among Our Few Healthy Signs

The mood in Pune is festive. With Krishna Ashtami tomorrow and arrival of Ganesh less than two weeks away, the rush of Ganesh Mandal workers has begun. However, as usual voices of protest against the 'pollution through jubilation' has begun already.

Citizens of Pune have tradition of raising their voices against the unnecessary noise pollution in tha name of the celebrating Ganeshotsav, which is arguably the biggest festival in the city. This tradition dates back to same era when the celebration began as an occasion to raise consciousness against British Raj. In an age when marketing consideration have taken precedence over everything else, the voices of opposition have not diminished in least.

As the economic situation of the country prospers, so does the level of enthusiasm among masses to find a way for collective recreation. Nothing can stop them. The dance, the blaring music, high walls of music, all these are only symptoms of the less sophisticated formation of the society.

People, especially the youths, seem uncontrollable when engaged in revelry. But they do so because almost all elements of Indian society vie for the pomp and superfluousness. Since the showiness is catchword of the day, it will be little wise to blame the youths for missing their ways during the festivities.

With so many problems and vices plaguing this country, it is one of the few healthy signs that so many people come together for whatever reason and indulge in non-destructive activities. On the contrary, the number of Ganesh Mandals doing one or another kind of social welfare work runs into thousands all over Maharashtra. Therefore, we should welcome, not despise the festivities.

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Miraj not as peaceful

Iit was expected that the immersion procession in Miraj would be peaceful. But it was not to be. Today Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Rawate tried to enter Kolhapur city but was forbidden from doing so. According to a release from Neelam Gorhe, Shiv Sena leader, Rawate had gone there to see the situation. District administration arrested him and stopped from entering the district. Gorhe has demanded a high level enquiry into the matter.

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26 hours procession in Pune

Even after cancelling decorations and bypassing the show, Pune's Ganesh Mandals can not keep the procession limited to 24 hrs. The mandals have shown readiness to end the procession within 12 hours, but actually it lasted for 25 hrs. and 45 minutes.

The procession had started at 12:00 PM yesterday and ended today at 11:45 AM. Even though many mandals came without any float; Nimbalkar Talim's procession was without vehicle at all, they could not end it within time. Onus lies with Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, which is the centre of attraction because of its heavy lighting and decorations. The mandal did not have any decoration but it was late from the start. It had promised to bring the chariot on Laxmi Road at 9 PM but could not do so. Then its immersion actually took place at 5:30 AM. Obviously many mandals got late because of this.

Even though it appears to be a long time, the roads of procession were never heavily ridden with public. Hence it did not cause much trouble to public. Traffic on F. C. road from Karve Road was open as early as 11 AM. Normally it is closed till late in the afternoon. This had made sure that immersion procession in Pune will always be at least 24 hours long.

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Simple & Gracious Farewell to Ganesha

ganpati 011, originally uploaded by deshpande.devidas.

City of Pune bid its favourite deity a simple yet graceful adieu. All the pomp and hoopla which accompanies the festival each year was absent this year. Even though the scare of H1N1 Flu had curtailed the festivities, it did not affect the festive mood of the mandal workers. The mandals had given way to the decorations and floats, which are hallmark of Pune's Ganesh Utsav. Instead, the mandals were engaged in the some social work which they are involved in throughout the year anyway. All five prestigious Ganpatis of city had completed their immersion procesion till afternoon.

I was in the procession after evening. Even at that time, the environment was brimming with the loud voices of Ganpati Bappa Morya. Loud speakers were blaring out choices of songs filled with rhythm and beats. Language was not a question. I could hear Kombadi Palali, a hit Marathi song and the next song was Mambazha Mambazham from Pokkiri, a Tamil movie! But that is always a part of an immersion procession and that is exactly what I like to be. If one derides this fare as an expression of substandard taste of low-brow public, then there was also high class squads of Indian instruments like dhol and lezim. Schoolchildren happens to be a major attraction of these squads but they were not on the roads yesterday as a precautionary measure. I could spot the same devotion and dedication in volunteers of those squads which they exhibit each year.

All in all, Bappa received a fitting farewell this year also. Simple, Gracious and Safe!

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Ganeshotsav Off to Good Start

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi got off to a well start today. The swine flu seemed to have little impact on the morale of the people in Pune. People were seen thronging temples and Modak, the special type of sweet which is said to be favourite of Lord Ganesh, was in full demand. Even rain graced the city on the occasion.

Roadside vendors made most of the business as the sale of big idols were hit this time around. Ganesh idols in Pune come mainly from Pen in Raigad district. But because of scarcity of water and then H1N1 scare, the number of idols coming to Pune were much lesser. Last fortnight, major Ganesh mandals decided to keep the festivities subdued because of H1N1 Flu scare.

Five main Ganpati mandals (Ganesh Mandals) have special place in the city. First of them all is Kasba Ganpati in Kasba Peth which is city deity. The festival of Kasba Ganpati started with pranpratishtha of Ganesh idol at 11 AM. A procession of the idol was brought out before the main ceremony. The procession was bereft of any kind of musical troupes because all prestigious mandals decided to refrain from musical troupes on account of H1N1 Flu.

In Mumbai also, chief minister Ashok Chavan installed a Ganesh idol at his official residence 'Varsha'. Speaking to mediapersons, he said he prayed to lord for good rains in the state. “I also prayed to god for controlling the inflation, to solve drinking water problem and to make the state wealthier,” he said.

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Ganeshotsav Under H1N1 Shadow

First time in its history of 115 years, the Ganesh Utsav in Pune is set to be subdued. The festival, which even British rulers could not prevent from being celebrated with enthusiasm, has come under the shadow of H1N1 Flu which has taken more than 17 lives in Pune. Even though mandals and authorities have decided to celebrate the festival simply, it is to be seen how it can be a low key affair.

Interestingly, organisers of the biggest festival in Maharashtra and probably India are planning to take Swine Flu in their stride. Ganesh Chaturthi. They pkan to make H1N1 Flu as as festival theme to spread awareness among the people. The highlights of the festival will be fibre mannequins wearing swine flu masks erected by artists from the city.

These special mannequins will also have audio-visual aids, a speciality of Ganeshotsav in Pune, to convey the message of preventing swine flu infections. These mannequins will come in the form of school going kids, teachers, doctors wearing masks. The festival is one of the prominent occasion for advertisers and mandals to reach to public. Total turnover during these ten days of festival touch up to several crores. Many big mandals have expressed fear that they will lose about Rs 60 to 70 lakh if the festival is kept simple.

Pune Festival, a cultural event initiated by Suresh Kalmadi, member of parliament was deferred till December on account of rising cases of H1N1 Flu. The festival is normally organised for three days during the Ganeshotsav each year. The organisers of Pune Festival have already clarified that the event will take place around 15 December since not many tourists are expected to come during the onslaught of H1N1.

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Ganeshotsav started here

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.

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