Pune: Devotees decorate Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Mandir with 21 thousand sunflowers

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], April 5 : Devotees decorated the 130-year-old Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple in Pune with 21 thousand sunflowers on Wednesday.

The deity of Lord Ganesha was incepted by Shri Dagdusheth Halwai and his wife Lakshmibai way back when they lost their only son to the plague epidemic and hence it is called Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, the temple authorities said.

Every year, the Ganpati festival is celebrated with deep faith and enthusiasm at the temple, not only by Dagdusheth's family but by the entire neighbourhood. Tatyasaheb Godse, then in his early youth, was a zestful participant in the celebrations, they said

In later years, when Lokmanya Tilak made Ganpati festival a public celebration to bring people together for the freedom struggle, Dagdusheth Ganpati became the most respected and popular idol in Pune.

In 1952, the responsibility of orgzing the festival at Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple officially fell upon Tatyasaheb and his group of friends.

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