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Dagadusheth Mandal promises to participate in immersion procession at 4pm this year
To reduce annual immersion procession period, Shreemant Dagadusheth Halwai Ganesh Mandal has decided to carry the procession at 4 pm
Pune: To reduce the annual immersion procession period, Shreemant Dagadusheth Halwai Ganesh Mandal has decided to carry the procession at 4 pm even as other mandals have not shown interest to the ceremony that takes place on Laxmi Road.
Dagadusheth Ganesh Mandal announced their decision on Wednesday, hoping to minimise the overall time of procession. For years, citizens, administration, police and other Ganesh mandals have been pressing for the need to reduce the timing of annual immersion procession that lasts for over 24 hours.
In 2022, the ceremonious Ganesh immersion marked a high point of the 10-day festival, completing in record 29 hours. The duration was the highest after 2014 with huge crowd seen on roads after two years to bid farewell to the elephant god.
Hemant Rasane, secretary, Dagadusheth Ganesh Mandal, said, “Our Mandal has been facing public criticism for delaying the procession since last few years, but we were not getting a place to start it as other mandals occupied the path. Last year, we got a chance to immerse the idol the next day of immersion. Considering this, we have decided to carry out the procession at daytime which is also suitable for devotees.”
In Pune, the immersion procession begins with five manache (most revered) Ganesh Mandals. However, once they immerse the idols, no other mandal is eager to start procession till midnight when Dagadusheth Mandal turns up and heavy crowd await to see the chariot. “We have identified the slot when no mandal is on Laxmi Road at around 4 pm,” said Rasane
The mandal met workers for Ganesh immersion and unanimously decided to carry out procession at 3pm or 4pm without affecting other mandals and complete the procession by 7pm.
“Years ago, our procession was getting over by afternoon. As the number of Ganesh mandals increased, Dagadusheth Mandal started getting late to get place on Laxmi Road. Later, we started at 8pm, then midnight, and last year we entered the procession line the next day,” Rasane said.
The annual immersion process is a main highlight of the 10-day Ganeshotsav in Pune. Over five lakh people turn up to witness the procession even as it poses huge security burden for police and local administration. Hence, the police and administration have been appealing to mandals over the past few years to wind up the procession early even as the latter are often seen defying it.
