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The glorious tradition of the Ganpati festival in Pune is no longer restricted to the city — it is now an attraction for the entire world. The annual festival should be freed from deafening DJ music and should be celebrated in traditional religious and cultural ways.
Therefore, those Ganpati mandals playing DJ music will not receive financial aid in the form of advertisements. This has been announced by Punit Balan Group (PBG) President, Punit Balan.
Balan was speaking at a programme organised by Samarth Pratishthan to worship the musical instruments of their Dhol-Tasha Pathak. Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni, Kasba Peth MLA Hemant Rasane and other office-bearers were present.
Balan said, “Pune’s Ganeshotsav is over 132 years old. Lokmanya Tilak and Bhausaheb Rangari mobilised common people during the freedom struggle and started the festival. Many cultural programmes were organised after Independence. However, some Ganesh mandals have been raising big walls of speakers and playing obscene songs in recent years. This has been damaging the festival’s reputation. This does not fit into our culture. Therefore, Ganeshotsav needs to be celebrated without loud DJ music, and we must take steps in that direction.”
Ganesh mandals receive financial aid in the form of advertisements in a big way from Manikchand Oxyrich and Punit Balan Group. However, Balan has now clarified that Ganesh mandals not respecting the sanctity of the festival by playing vulgar songs on DJ systems will not receive aid henceforth. He insisted that festivals of Hindu deities must be celebrated in a religious and traditional manner. Balan’s stand has been supported by people from all strata of society.
