Seven esteemed Ganesha Mandals from Pune have chosen to introduce public Ganeshotsav celebrations in Kashmir this year. As a part of this initiative, the idol of the village deity, Kasba Ganpati in Pune, was ceremoniously handed over to the trustee of the Ganpatyar Temple in Srinagar on Thursday.
This signifies a noteworthy progression since Kashmir, an integral part of India, has historically not adopted the Ganeshotsav tradition. Nevertheless, this year, the region will engage in Ganeshotsav festivities through this symbolic act. The ceremony for handing over the idol occurred at Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Bhavan.
The seven Ganeshotsav mandals leading this unique initiative include Shri Kasba Ganpati, Shri Tambadi Jogeshwari, Shri Guruji Talim Ganpati, Shri Tulshibag Ganpati, Shri Kesari Wada Ganpati, Shrimant Bhau Saheb Rangari Ganpati, and Shri Akhil Mandai Mandal. Each of these mandals shares a vision of fostering cultural exchange and spreading the spirit of unity through this initiative.
Before entrusting the idol to Sandeep Kaul, a trustee of the Ganpatyar Temple from Srinagar, a special Ganpati pooja was performed. Punit Balan, the Festival Chief of the Bhausaheb Rangari Trust, expressed his thoughts on this groundbreaking initiative, stating, "The tradition of Ganeshotsav, pioneered by prominent figures like Bhausaheb Rangari and Lokmanya Tilak in Pune, has gained global recognition. However, the absence of this celebration in our own country, particularly in Kashmir, prompted us. We have collectively decided to introduce Ganeshotsav in Kashmir, with the hope of fostering social harmony, spreading happiness, and promoting prosperity in the Kashmir valley."