Inching towards change

It was gladdening to know that the Police Commissionerate had been taking some action, not only about the size of the pandals but about, as far as possible, not allowing the pandals to face the road. While they have largely succeeded on Laxmi Road and Karve Road, the lanes across Laxmi Road showed that immensely violated norms. Sprouting like monstrous structures, in these utterly congested lanes, pandals have occupied most of the road8217;s carriage-width, never mind the woes of the harried commuter who will have to bear the brunt for a good 12 days.

What can one say about the most sought after mandal, the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Mandal which continues to occupy the whole of Shivaji Road for some of its programmes, though the pandal at least has not for some years been encroaching on the road? The organisers seem to be taking advantage of the people8217;s devotion and loyalty towards the mandal8217;s benevolent deity, we presume.

Also, some of the mandals on Laxmi Road itself 8212; like the one near Shagun Chowk and the one near Bhanuvilas Chowk, which have occupied nearly half of the road continue to hamper traffic. The Natu Baug Mandal on Bajirao Road seems defiant. They have not reduced the size and continue to occupy half of the road-width, taking advantage of the road having been made a one-way some years ago.

At Deccan Gymkhana, the mandal at Gokhale Smarak Chowk and the one at Tukaram Paduka Chowk on Fergusson College Road, open towards the traffic flow. The one at the Dnyaneshwar Paduka Chowk on Fergusson College Road has slightly reduced the pandal size but continues to pose a traffic problem. At the Deep Bungalow Chowk too, the enormous mandal not only arrogantly occupies half the width of the road, but has constructed a permanent-like fountain too.

As we meandered our way to Karve Road, we found several small mandals that had strictly followed the norms, so hats off to them. Except for the one bang in front of the MSEB office and in the vicinity of the SNDT College gate, which has occupied about half the road. We also happened to go to Koregaon Park, and boy, the Ganesh pandal, on North Main Road between Lane no. 2 and Lane no.3 had perched on half the road width, causing severe traffic hazards.

Barring some abrasions 8212; a glaring one being on the North Main Road in Koregaon Park where a mandal backed by local petty politicians has the audacity to occupy half the carriageway of this narrow but busy road 8211; it is heartening to note that slowly and steadily, the significance of curbing traffic blockade on roads, during this festival, has been understood by the law enforcing authorities, the Ganesh mandal organisers and the citizens as well. Except for a handful of major Ganesh mandals in the downtown area, the scenario is indeed a silver lining in the cloud of adamancy and arrogance that ruled the roost.

When the Express Citizens8217; Forum had raised a hue and cry about this negative side, of this otherwise wonderful festival, about some years ago, a general cynicism surfaced. The ECF was termed elitist and some prominent citizens believed that such a social revolution cannot happen in a few years 8212; it has to be an evolution and that will take a long, long time. Sorry, dear sirs, but it seems, the good intentions of the ECF has finally percolated, since, quite admirably, many people which include the organisers and the law-enforcing authorities too, are beginning to see logic in what it was saying. Thank God for that.

In fact, when the ECF had gone to the High Court, some of the leaders of the major Ganesh mandals had blatantly stated that social transformation cannot be brought about by a court order. And that even if the order descends from the High Court, 100 or 200 of them will get together and see with a vengeance, that they defy it. A similar situation was experienced by the Calcutta denizens when despite the Calcutta High Court order, defiance became the rule. But here in amche Pune, it has been a gradual but genuine social transformation.

We need to salute Police Commissioner K K Kashyap who has implemented a novel strategy of putting one constable for one mandal. His duties include ensuring that the volume of music is reduced and that thorough discipline is maintained by the mandal.

We may, however, point out that at least during the first few days of the festival, neither the policemen posted at various mandals nor the volunteers of police-sponsored Vighnaharta group have been able to reduce the volume of loud speakers in most places.

In many places, the organisers themselves have observed self-restraint, not to mention the role of citizens, many of whom have been admonishing their neighbourhood Ganesh mandal organisers and giving donations, on the assurance that traffic hazard will be at the bare minimum. Mention may be made of Hatti Ganapati in Sadashiv Peth which used to occupy the entire road, earlier. This year they left a small strip enough for an autorickshaw to pass.

Now, that the process has at last begun, it is for the leaders to take up the cudgels and initiate further discipline in this effervescent festival which brings citizens together. They must cajole the mandal organisers to shift to any open space within their locality, since it is a festival of the entire neighbourhood. Two political leaders 8212; Shrikant Shirole and Kaka Wadke succeeded several years ago in moving the pandals of mandals under their influence to open spaces in their respective neighbourhoods. But Shirole8217;s idea of shifting all mandals on Jangli Maharaj Road to the College of Engineering grounds has drawn a blank.

We think, the real social movement will happen when the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati mandal shifts to an open space. This stalwart mandal is not really a locality celebration affair but is close to the heart of every citizen of not only Pune, but the entire State. Its shifting to an open space, like it did during its centenary celebrations at the Baburao Sanas Grounds, a few years ago, would indeed prove to be an important lead. The eyesore in this entire endeavour has been the failure of the Mahamandal 8212; the confederation of Ganesh mandals 8211; in garnering support on this count, though it has succeeded to a great extent in restoring the sanctity of the celebrations and the immersion procession. Mahamandal leader Prataprao Godse, appears to have been refraining from taking up this sensitive issue assertively, except for appealing through newspaper advertisements. He seems to be wary of live interaction with other mandal leaders.

Nevertheless, common sense has begun to prevail and as we plunge into a new millennium, we might just witness a welcome change.