Ganesh mandals plan grand celebrations, hike budgets

Nashik: Eight Ganesh Mandals, who have been celebrating Ganesh festival at B D Bhalekar grounds for the past 30 years, begun preparations for the festival beginning from September 19. Ganesh Barve, president of one of the Ganesh Mandals, said, “We have set up pandals at the ground and are now decorating those. The theme for this year is ‘Samyukta Maharashtra’. Other mandals have also started their preparations”.Ganesh More, trustee of Welcome Sahakarya Mitra Mandal in old Nashik said that this will be their 81st year of celebrating the Ganesh festival. They put up a pandal and other works are in progress, which would be completed by next week.This year, they will perform a social awareness programme themed as ‘Commercialisation of education’, which will address the hurdles faced by parents during school admissions for children.“There are government schemes for the issue, but people are unaware of those. Through the programme, we aim to create awareness about the theme,” said More.Narendra Pawar, president of Raviwar Karanja Ganesh Mandal said that they will create a replica of the ‘Kedarnath Mandir’. Around 15-20 artists are working to create a grand replica of the temple. It will be ready a day before the Ganesha festival.“The public is in festive mood this year. Our budget is the highest as compared to last three years because of the air of enhusiasm.” said Pawar.

Ganesh mandals violate HC orders in Kolhapur, block roads

Ganesh mandals in Kolhapur have been blocking roads with large pandals, causing inconvenience for commuters. Despite court orders requiring 75% of road space to be kept clear for emergency vehicles, the local authorities have taken no action against the mandals. The city traffic police have started taking action by making two mandals vacate the blocked roads, but more action is expected in the coming days. The mandal members argue that people should adjust for a few days as the festival is celebrated for God.

Ganesh Chaturthi pandals to blend devotion, socio-cultural awareness

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Lucknow this year will focus on various socio-cultural themes. The festival, which celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesh, will feature a 70-foot-tall replica of the famous Lalbagh ke Raja idol of Mumbai. The organizers aim to promote environmental conservation and will stage a play based on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Other pandals will focus on religious duties, peace and harmony, handicraft and culture of Odisha, and supporting small businesses. Traditional celebrations and cultural programs will also be held throughout the city.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: 7 eco-friendly ways to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi

As Ganesh Chaturthi approaches, people in India are opting to make their own eco-friendly Ganesha idols. In the past, idols made of Plaster of Paris and toxic colors caused environmental harm. Now, individuals are using materials like clay, paper mache, coconut husk, shadu clay, wheat dough, and plantable mixtures to create sustainable idols. These materials can easily dissolve in water during the Visarjan and contribute to a safer environment. Using natural colors for decoration is also recommended to avoid harm to the environment.