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Puris, biscuits, fruits, bread: All the food a stage for Vighnaharta
There are a select few mandals who have created additional buzz by creating either Ganesh idols or decoration using food items.
The city is buzzing with activities and mandals are trying their best to showcase their creativity. There are a select few mandals who have created additional buzz by creating either Ganesh idols or decoration using food items.
Ganesh Bhel, a food outlet chain, in Karvenagar has used paani puri as the base for creating a Ganesh idol which is 11 feet in height and seven feet wide. Rupesh Gudmewar, owner of Ganesh Bhel and Prashant Salunkhe, artist had attempted the feat using their daily business products. By using just paani puri and canapé, the Ganesh idol is attracting a lot of people.
“The shape of puris is round and it is a feasible shape to built a ganesha,” said Salunkhe. The Ganesh idol was made at a cost Rs 2 lakhs and it took 11 days to make it. “The artist has used 8000 pani puris, 2000 canapes and a special chemical coating to retain the freshness and crispness of the puri. We are managing the temperature also with two halogen lamps,” added Rupesh.
“This is our attempt to be eco friendly and use natural products which is our trademark. The Ganesh is also shown holding a stainless still ladle and has an overflowing pot of bhel at its feet. This is to show that Ganesh is helping to make bhel for its devotees with the help of his trusted mouse,” said Rupesh, explaining the concept for the creation.
Another Ganesh Mandal which is attracting the attention of the devotees is the huge Shaniwar wada pandal created using biscuits outside Grahak Peth in Sadashiv peth.
Apart from devotees, passersby stop a while and gaze with curiosity to see if they can identify all the biscuits used to recreate Shaniwarwada.
“This is our 19th year of creating a decoration using biscuits and this year is special for we are celebrating the birth centenary of singer, composer Sudhir Phadke, whose cutout is shown in front of the huge assembled wada,” said Suryakant Pathak, of Grahak Peth.
“Phadke was a director of grahak peth from 1977 to 1982 and this is our way of celebrating his centenary,”he said.
A total of 75,000 biscuits and 8000 chocolates have been used to recreate Shaniwar wada.
“Volunteers worked for over a week to create the decoration and Rs 60,000 was spent for the decoration.” He added.
Meanwhile, the students of architecture of Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha’s Dr Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture (BNCA) for Women, have created Ganesh idols using fruits, and bread also.
“It was part of their first year architecture course which has a subject ‘basic designing’ and this was an opportunity for the students to showcase their skills,” said Kavita Murugkar, professor at BNCA.
