Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Maharashtrian community in the city is all set to celebrate the 10-day Ganeshotsav, beginning from Wednesday, with traditional fanfare and devotion. The celebrations of Ganeshotsav, the biggest Hindu festival of Maharashtra, were low-key in the city for the past two years due to Covid-related restrictions.
This time, however, there will be no bar on the number of devotees visiting the pandals and cultural and religious programmes will form part of the celebrations. Besides, tableaux will be set up and idols will be taken in processions for immersion.
Mukund Godbole, Vice-President of the 64-year-old Marathi Sanskritik Mandal, Piplani, told the Free Press they would be installing a replica of the famous Shri Vitthal-Rukmini temple of Pandharpur (Maharashtra) on the premises of the Ganesh Mandir, BHEL. The tableau will depict Maharashtrian culture with the idol of Ganesh placed at the centre. This year, he said, Shanrao Waghmare has brought a 3-foot idol of Ganesh from Maharashtra for the pandal. Modaks will be distributed as prasad. Maha Aarti, Atharvashirsha Sahastravartan, Sundarkand and cultural performances by children will be organised on different days. At the end of the Utsav, the idol will be taken in a procession to Hathaikheda Dam for immersion.
Surendra Vaidhya of the Apulki Maharashtra Mandal said that they are planning to offer salted snacks including baked samosas, kachoris, chhole and poha, besides modaks as prasad. “A large number of devotees are diabetics and cannot eat modaks,” he explained. They will be installing a 2.5-foot idol on the premises of Rajiv Gandhi College near Aura Mall, Shahpura. Concerts by Swantah Sukhay Group and Nikhil Wagre and Party and a Marathi play will form part of the cultural events. The anniversary of Chirgaon Ke Gajanan Maharaj will also be celebrated. The immersion will be performed in a vessel at the pandal itself. “We don’t want to pollute water bodies,” he said. The Mandal has been celebrating Ganeshotsava since 1998.
Poonam Kulkari, President, Ganesh Mandal, Kolar Road said they will be installing the idol at Surya Enclave. A Maha Aarti with 108 earthen lamps, cookery contest for women and essay-writing contest on Global Warming and Covid Pandemic will form part of the celebrations.
All programmes, including Natya Sangeet, will be offline, said Ravi Joshi, President, Maharashtra Mandal, Gautam Nagar.
