After the state chief minister Eknath Shinde eased all restrictions for the upcoming Dahi Handi and Ganpati festival, city-based Ganpati mandals are gearing up to celebrate the festival with pomp and fervour after a gap of two years and are planning grand processions.
One of the major hurdles for the five Manache Ganpati mandals this year is the Pune Metro overhead line above Lakdi pul bridge. In order to inspect the height above the bridge and make necessary changes in their immersion procession raths, a joint inspection was conducted by all the Manache Ganpati mandals on Saturday along with traffic police and Metro officials.
However, the Tulshibaug Ganpati mandal will be making a folding rath for the first time.
“On Saturday we did a joint inspection of the Lakdi pul. This is an important bridge for all the Manache Ganpati mandals as our processions cross the bridge. In this inspection it was found that the total height of the overhead Metro is 21 feet and it would affect our procession rath. The height of our Ganpati statue itself is 18 feet and the entire rath height goes up to 25 to 30 feet. So, this year, for the first time we have decided to make a folding decorated rath which will easily pass through the bridge,” said Nitin Pandit, secretary of Tulshibaug Ganpati mandal.
Talking about the inspection, Sunil Mane senior police inspector of Vishrambaug police station said, “We checked the height of the Metro overhead line on Saturday and accordingly, necessary changes will be made by mandals in their procession raths. As the festival is happening after two years, and due to new infrastructural changes, this pre-inspection was carried out which was useful for all of us.”
{{/usCountry}}Talking about the inspection, Sunil Mane senior police inspector of Vishrambaug police station said, “We checked the height of the Metro overhead line on Saturday and accordingly, necessary changes will be made by mandals in their procession raths. As the festival is happening after two years, and due to new infrastructural changes, this pre-inspection was carried out which was useful for all of us.”
{{/usCountry}}Every year, on the first and last day of the Ganpati festival, huge processions are organised by these mandals. It is a tradition for the five Manache Ganpati mandals to line up from Laxmi road on the last day.