Pimpri Chinchwad bids grand farewell to Lord Ganesha with cultural splendour

Devotion, tradition, and cultural grandeur marked the Ganesh Visarjan procession in Pimpri Chinchwad on Saturday. The beats of dhol-tasha troupes, colourful rangolis, floral showers, illuminated floats, and historic tableaux created a festive atmosphere as thousands of devotees came together to bid farewell to Lord Ganesha.

To recognise the contribution of Ganesh mandals and to ensure the smooth organisation of processions, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), under the guidance of Commissioner Shekhar Singh, established welcome pavilions at Hutatma Chapekar Chowk in Chinchwad and Karachi Chowk in Pimpri. Here, mandal representatives were felicitated as a gesture of honour and appreciation.

At Chapekar Chowk, 31 Ganesh mandals participated, with Ajinkya Mitra Mandal arriving first at 5:10pm and Moraya Gosavi Kridangan Mitra Mandal being the last at 11:55pm. At Karachi Chowk in Pimpri, 29 mandals were felicitated, with the final mandal arriving at 11:45pm. The processions featured vibrant cultural performances, traditional folk displays, and eye-catching illuminated floats that enthralled citizens.

The felicitation of procession leaders was carried out by Additional Commissioners Pradip Jambhale Patil, Vijaykumar Khorate, and Trupti Sandbhor. Deputy Commissioner Anna Bodade, Zonal Officers Ashwini Gaikwad and Kishor Nanaware, Chief Security Officer Uday Jarande, Chief Disaster Management Officer Omprakash Bahival, along with senior officials, were present. Former Mayor Aparna Doke, former corporators Namdeo Dhake, Govind Panasare, Rajendra Gawde, Suresh Bhoir, Ashwini Chinchwadkar, and Vitthal Bhoir also joined the Chinchwad celebrations.

The PCMC undertook a large-scale collection drive, as part of which it collected a total 215.70 tonnes of nirmalya (floral offerings) from across eight zonal offices. The civic body also facilitated idol collection, ensuring responsible immersion practices. A total of 1,11,729 idols were collected, including 20,728 eco-friendly idols and 91,002 Plaster of Paris (POP) idols. Zone-wise figures included 39,939 idols in Zone B, 19,859 in Zone C, and 17,490 in Zone F, among others.

Several mandals showcased tableaux depicting historical figures such as Rajmata Jijau, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and Veer Murarbaji, which became highlights of the immersion processions. Pimpri’s procession featured a tableau symbolising devotion (Bhaktishakti), while Chinchwad’s ‘May Marathi’ float celebrated the pride and richness of the Marathi language.