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Journalism of Courage
Dr Shantaram Mahajan8217;s book Pune Sheratil Mandire, provides an insight to the various places of worship in the city
Binding the inviolable and vibrant essence of a city that has always been a famous sacrosanct ground of diverse beliefs and religions, Dr Shantaram Mahajan, in his latest book, Pune Sheratil Mandire has compiled information on over 300 temples of the various communities in Pune.
At 77, Mahajan, who is typically at an age where most of his time is devoted to God, says, that this book that documents some sacred information for the coming generations has been his way to worship the almighty.
After starting research way back in 1988, he released the first handbook on 230 temples in 2003. 8220;I8217;m a member of the senior citizens8217; club and every month we go on trips where we visit different temples in the city. I noticed that in the past decade, as Pune has expanded hugely, the number of temples have increased remarkably.8221;
A librarian himself and the former head of department of library science at Pune University, Mahajan says the book Pune Sheheratil Mandire gives vivid information on the significant places of worship in and around Pune, and the book will not only be useful for tourists but also the residents. 8220;It is a guide for those who love seeing different beautiful monuments. Apart from the historic and spiritual significance, the book also gives a brief of its architectural information,8221; says the passionate researcher who has also authored other books like Pune City Tourist Guide and Pune City Bibliography.
Promoting the concept of temple tourism, Mahajan says that its sad to know that there are some places that still restrict the entry to particular section or community. Expressing his concern over the maintenance of these holy shrines he adds, 8220;The management committees should see to it that there is no writing on the walls. In many cases I saw creepers damaging the boundary walls and ruining the beauty of the monument.8221;
During his research, a thought penned by a foreigner in one of the books he read interested Mahajan, 8220;The person had related a pearl from the Bhagwad Gita that said, that one may offer flowers, fruits and petals to the Gods but the richest offering to God is pure devotion. I was glad to know that the rich heritage of temples in our country have been recognised by outsiders too,8221; said Mahajan.
Continuing with his research-based and informative documentation, Maha-jan8217;s next release would be an English book titled Changing Pune, which is an insight to the different aspects that have changed the city, some of them being the IT sector, real estate, business, investment and also the rare trees here.
