Ganeshostsav off to grand start in Pune homes, pandals

PUNE: Residents broke into ripples of joy on Thursday, welcoming the Elephant god ‘home’.
Early morning pujas, Vedic chants, the chorus of artis, the clash of cymbals and the aroma of ghee-laden steaming-hot modaks marked the beginning of the Ganesh festival. Streets came alive with elegantly decorated chariots and the beats of dhol.
Residents welcomed the lord home on Wednesday dancing and chanting ‘Bappa Maurya’ with undefeated mirth.The hundred-plus mandals in the city displayed a similar enthusiasm, as they consecrated Maharashtra’s favorite idol one after the other on the first day of the grand festival.
Streets displayed an endearing sight: lord Ganesh idols atop palanquins, the face covered with muslin and joyous devotees chanting his name in the accompaniment of dhol-tashe.
The Akhil Mandai Mandal started its procession at 10 am from the Sharda Gajanan temple in Mandai. The Ganesh idol was placed on a palanquin decked with flowers of various hues. It passed through Babu Genu chowk, Rameshwar chowk and Gotiram Bhaiyya chowk.
Percussion player Soniba Adhav added waves of fervor to the procession rendering mellifluous tunes. After the consecration of the idol, the procession ended with a note of altruism as the mandal representatives sent 12,000 tonnes of cattle fodder in Beed.
The Hutatma Babu Genu Mandal Trust consecrated their idol amid rituals steeped in history. It was carried in a 16-foot-long chariot, decked with flowers. Resembling a Shiva linga, it passed through various chowks in the city. The Ganesh idol was consecrated at 1 pm by artists Murlidhar Shinde and Suresh Kapoor.
Hundreds of people were seen in the procession of Tulsibaug Mandal. “It began from Mandai at 10.30 am. Close to 400 hundred dhol-tasha players from four groups rendered an eclectic performance in the procession,” said Nitin Pandit, the treasurer of the mandal.
The mandal consecrated a 15-foot-tall idol this year before a swarm of devotees paying obeisance to Ganesh. The dhol pathak groups dotting the procession of Kasba Ganpati rendered a vigorous performance, heralding the beginning of Ganesh festival. The mandal, like each year, carried in procession an eco-Ganesh idol made from Shadu. “We carried the lord in a silver palanquin placed upon the devotees’ shoulders. At the consecration ceremony, the idol was graced with flowers and other paraphernalia,” said Vishal Chaudhari, the event head at Kasba Ganpati mandal.