Pune

The grand and traditional arrival procession of Pune's historic Shreemant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal is all set to begin shortly on Monday to mark the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, featuring a resonating 'Shankhnaad' troupe, traditional Dhol Tasha, and 'Mardani Khel' (martial arts performances by women).

Performers and youth dressed in traditional white kurtas and saffron vests lined the streets of Pune, making final preparations to blow conch shells (shankhs) in unison and perform martial arts demonstrations to welcome Lord Ganesha as crowds gathered along the route.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, religious devotion reached a crescendo as iconic community pandals opened their doors to worshippers. Among the most popular destinations, the celebrated 107-year-old 'Chinchpoklicha Chintamani' in Mumbai drew a sea of devotees with its idol installed with an elaborate Tirupati Balaji temple theme.

Speaking about the idol and preparations, Chinchpokli Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal President Rajan Dicholkar highlighted the craftsmanship and the heavy turnout expected throughout the festival.

"The Mandal was established in 1920. It has been 107 years. The speciality of this idol is that it has been sculpted by our artist Siddhesh Dighole. He has crafted a divine idol that is deeply captivating to devotees. This year, the pandal has been designed around the Tirupati Balaji theme by our artist Sachin Panchal following two months of dedicated preparation," Dicholkar said.

Emphasising social harmony and unity, the Mandal president offered prayers for the nation's well-being and shared estimates of daily footfall.

"I pray to Ganpati Bappa that He keeps everyone in the country happy, removes all caste and communal divisions, and keeps our society united. Every day, nearly one lakh devotees arrive here to seek the blessings of Bappa," Dicholkar added.

On security during the festivities, he added, "As we are expecting large crowds, we have constructed ramps and installed barricades this time. The police are also providing us with security. We have made arrangements for the fire brigade as well. There are four exit gates and two entry gates."

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The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha, is being marked across Maharashtra and the country with morning aartis, cultural troupes, and vibrant processions welcoming the deity into homes and pandals.