Unity On Display: Pune's Muslim Community Sets Up Refreshment Stalls For Ganpati Visarjan Devotees

A heartwarming gesture was sighted on Pune’s streets, with the city’s Muslim community opening stalls that are offering snacks like vada pav, fruit juice, chilled water, and other refreshments along the Ganpati immersion procession route.

The move is appreciated by many as a beautiful display of brotherhood and unity that showcased that showcases Pune’s true spirit, where multiple faiths come together to help and support each other and celebrate shared traditions.

In addition to this, the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession was postponed by the Muslim community across parts of Maharashtra because it clashed with Ganesh Visarjan. 

Speaking to the Free Press Journal, Anwar Hussain Shaikh, a social activist and president of Miss Farha Charitable Foundation, said, “The Julus traditionally follows a route through Nanapeth and passes through Pune Camp and concludes at Ganesh Peth, and this route is also followed for Ganesh Visarjan. To avoid any untoward incident and ensure peace and harmony, we decided to postpone our Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi Julus.”

After Pune, this year’s decision has also been followed in Mumbai, Dhule and other parts of the state. “The decision to postpone the Julus was consulted with all the Muslim community representatives and Ranjan Kumar Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune and other senior officials, keeping in mind the law and order situation and peaceful environment. And we did the same adjustments last year as well as a public good,” Shaikh added.