Pune, the pioneer city of public Ganeshotsav, is bidding farewell to the beloved deity today as the 10-day festival comes to an end. Over time, the celebration has grown into a grand event. As videos of today's festivities surface online, old pictures of Ganesh Visarjan on Laxmi Road also began circulating.
Before 1893, Ganeshotsav was a one-day private celebration. However, that year marked a significant change. Lokmanya Tilak launched the public celebration of Ganeshotsav to unite people. In his newspaper Kesari, Tilak emphasised the importance of public festivities, turning the traditional domestic event into a large, organized public celebration.
The Visarjan procession of the famous mandals in the city is taken out on Laxmi Road and nearby roads. These roads are closed to vehicular traffic on the day and reopened in a phased manner as the procession moves ahead.
Currently, the entire road is filled with devotees, vehicles of the mandals, and dhol and tasha pathaks. However, the old photo shows the road occupied with fewer people.
Check the old photos here:
Pune: Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati To Join Immersion Procession Earlier This Year Too#Pune A photo I took in the early 1980s.
— Amit Paranjape (@aparanjape) September 17, 2024
The main #GanpatiVisarjan procession moving along Laxmi Road. #AnantChaturdashi pic.twitter.com/bQHZzdXBgc
मानाचा तिसरा श्री गुरुजी तालीम सार्वजनिक गणेशोत्सव मंडळ पुण्याचा राजा विसर्जन मिरवणूक मार्गस्थ.
— DD Sahyadri News | सह्याद्री बातम्या (@ddsahyadrinews) September 17, 2024
♦️ ढोल ताशाच्या गजरात आणि गुलालाची उधळण करत मिरवणुकीला सुरुवात. #GanpatiVisarjan #GanpatiBappaMorya pic.twitter.com/mEfBVXKbyK
Tilak introduced the concept of installing large Ganesha idols in public spaces and is credited with starting the practice of immersing the idols on the 10th day, making Ganeshotsav the massive public event we know today. His goal was to use the festival to bring people together and promote unity.
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