Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
LIKE every year, the Ganesh immersion procession in Pune city dragged on for hours, this time creating a new record of 34 hours after it took off around 9.30am on Saturday on Anant Chaturdashi— the final day of the 10-day Ganeshotsav.
The grand colourful procession came to end with the immersion of Amarjyot Mitra Mandal’s idol around 8.15pm on Sunday, said Pune Fire Brigade officials.
However, the Pune police said the immersion procession went on for 32 hours and 26 minutes and concluded around 6pm on Sunday. The procession was held peacefully barring a few exceptions, said the city police.
The time taken by the procession was more than last year’s when the immersion procession lasted 28 hours and 45 minutes. In 2023, the Ganesh immersion procession went on for 30 hours and 25 minutes while it concluded after 31 hours in 2022.
As per tradition, the immersion procession started with the rituals of the first manache (prominent) Ganpati—the Kasba Ganpati Ganesh Mandal— around 9.30am on Saturday, about 45 minutes earlier than last year.
A dispute erupted this year after some Ganesh mandals in the city insisted that they would start the immersion procession at 7am, before the five ‘Manache Ganpati’ (the five prominent ones). These mandals had claimed that major delays are caused by the immersion procession of the five prominent mandals, forcing them to wait on the procession routes till late night.
But with the intervention of Pune MP and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, BJP MLA Hemant Rasane and police authorities, the dispute was resolved and it was decided that Kasba Ganpati Mandal would start the Ganesh immersion procession.
According to police, the Kasba Ganpati’s procession started at 9.34am on Laxmi Road—the main route for immersion procession in the city. Subsequently, the other four Manache Ganpati also joined the procession on Laxmi Road.
Police said the idol of Kasba Ganpati mandal was immersed at Nateshwar ghat at 3.47pm, the Tambdi Jogeshwari mandal (second prominent one) at 4.10pm, Guruji Talim Mandal at 4.34pm, Tulshibaug Ganpati Mandal at 4.58pm and Kesari Wada Ganpati at 5.38pm at Panchaleshwar Ghat. Last year, the ”Manache Ganpati” immersion procession lasted till 7.38 pm.
A live performance of Varaha Avatar (third incarnation of the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu) killing the demon Hiranyaksha by Taal Vadya Pathak at Tambdi Jogeshwari mandal was a major attraction of the procession this year. Besides, the thrilling ‘Mallakhamb’ performance by ‘Swa’ -roopwardhinee at Tulsibaug Ganpati Mandal drew big applause from the crowd.
Like every year, activists of Guruji Talim Mandal spilled huge amounts of Gulal (pink coloured powder) during the immersion procession. Several dhol tasha pathaks dished out energetic beats on different immersion routes in the city.
While the five ”Manache Ganpati” have both ceremonial and historic importance, they also are also thronged by a huge crowds of devotees.
The procession of the famous Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Mandal began at 3.45pm on Saturday and concluded at 9.23 pm at Panchaleshwar Ghat the same day.
The immersion procession of Hutatma Babu Genu Mandal concluded at Nateshwar Ghat at 2.25am, Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal at 2.40am, Akhil Mandai Mandal at 3.28am, and Shri Jilbya Maruti Mandal Trust at 3.47am at the Panchaleshwar ghat on Sunday.
There were a few incidents of arguments between the Ganesh Mandal office bearers and the police authorities. Police were seen struggling to push the Ganesh mandals workers and dhol tasha pathaks to move faster on the immersion routes.
About the delay in completing the Ganesh immersion procession, Commissioner of Pune Police Amitesh Kumar said, “It was never our priority to finish the immersion procession earlier than last year. Our basic objective was maintaining law and order and ensuring that the procession ends peacefully.”
Kumar appreciated the work done by the police force throughout the Ganesh festival. He said along with a huge deployment, mobile surveillance vehicles, CCTVs, drones and modern equipment were used for security arrangements during the festival.
The police commissioner also said that because of the availability of Pune Metro service and proper planning, the traffic congestion was much less this year. Police officials said due to the Metro service, more people visited the immersion procession at Alka Chowk, which witnessed a humongous crowd.
Journalists targeted, PUWJ complaints to CM
Some incidents of misbehaviour with media persons by Ganesh mandal and dhol tasha group members were also reported during the immersion procession in the city. A woman journalist working with a news portal alleged that around 8pm on Saturday, while covering the immersion procession near Budhwar Chowk, some unknown members of a Dhol Tasha Pathak touched her inappropriately and also slapped her colleague. The victim has filed a complaint naming the dhol tasha group at the Faraskhana police station.
Members of another Dhol Tasha group misbehaved with press photographers covering the immersion procession on Saturday morning. Media persons also faced incidents of manhandling by police personnel deployed at certain spots. Journalists have informed the Pune police commissioner about the incidents and have sought legal action against the culprits. Besides, the Pune Union of Working Journalists has condemned the incidents of misbehaviour with media persons. The PUWJ has also written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to look into the issue and take appropriate action.
