Sarvajanik Ganesh Uthsav Celebrates its 125 years...

For this year's Ganesh Chaturthi we have story from Pune, the place where Sarvajanik Ganesh Uthsav(public celebration) originated. Its said Ganesh chaturthi had been celebrated publicly since the era of Shivaji in Pune, but during British rule, fearing public assemblies after the first war of Indian Independence, British had imposed rule against public gathering of more than 20 people for social or political purposes, but had exempted muslims from Friday mosque prayers. In 1892 Bhausaheb Laxman Javale installed the first Sarvajanik Ganesh in Pune. And in 1893, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak praised the celebration in his newspaper Kesari and chose to use the public gathering at the Sarvajanik Ganesh Uthsav under religious exemption for the fight against British rule.

Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapathi procession from Temple to Pandal.

Its 125th year of Sarvajanik Ganesh Uthsav this year and we were at the Shivaji Road on the early morning of Ganesh Chaturthi capturing the celebration, the grand welcome of Ganesha on his day. The roads were full, with the dhol groups presenting their rhythmic dhol, devotees, media everyone enjoying the celebration in rains.

Ladies Dhol at the procession

Watching the Ganesha procession was altogether a different view than watching in the pandals. The procession, the stapana(first worship in pandal), the devotion and ethnicity had so much positive vibe. I was comparing everything with the way Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in Mumbai, there is so much of ethnicity, faith and devotion here in Pune, while I always felt the celebration in Mumbai is more of colours, magnificence, dancing and publicity, sorry if that hurts any Mumbaikars ;)

Flowers been showered on Kasaba Ganapathi in Palki

While Dagadusheth Ganapathi proceeded in beautiful floral chariot, the Kasaba Ganapathi proceeded in palki(a carriage with two handles, carried by two or more people on their shoulders) with flowers been showered. I was told the Dagadusheth Halwai temple has two Ganesha idols, the main idol which is of silver and the uthsav murthi(procession idol), which is not immersed like in Mumbai, but its the same idol which is got to the pandal every year during Ganesh Chaturthi and kept back in the temple during rest of the year.

Another Ganesha procession which we came across on Shivaji Road.

Ganesha Pandals and celebration are everywhere around the city and more posts coming up on Ganesh in following posts.

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!!!