Pune: A massive 251-kg modak-themed cake and a giant motichoor laddu were offered as naivedya to the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati idol during the ongoing Ganeshotsav celebrations in Pune.
The 251-kg rasmalai-flavoured modak cake was prepared and offered by WS Bakers, while the giant motichoor laddu was presented by Prabhat Farshan and Deepak Caterers. The offerings were brought to the festival mandap on trolleys in the presence of trustees, office-bearers and volunteers of the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganpati Trust and Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal.
After the traditional offering was made to Lord Ganesha, the food was distributed among devotees as prasad.
WS Bakers director, Vikas Agrawal was present during the offering. According to him, this was the second consecutive year that the bakery had offered a large cake to the Dagdusheth Ganpati. “A team of around 40 to 50 people worked on preparing the 251-kg rasmalai-flavoured cake,” he said.
Aniket Maid, a devotee, said, “I have seen many offerings to Dagdusheth Ganpati over the years, but seeing such a huge motichoor laddu was truly eye-catching. It shows how devotees continue to find new and creative ways to express their faith. Such traditions have now become an interesting part of Ganeshotsav and give devotees something memorable to look forward to every year.”
The giant motichoor laddu was offered by Deepak Prabhudas Malani and Nikhil Prabhudas Malani of Prabhat Farshan and Deepak Caterers. Due to its size and weight, the laddu was transported into the festival mandap with the help of forklifts.
The Malani family has been making such offerings for the past 26 years. The tradition began with a 5-kg motichoor laddu and has grown substantially over the years.
