4 days Ago By Anjali Jhangiani
1 2 3 Pune: The Camp area , with its charming bylanes and bustling markets, has always been a melting pot of cultures, making the Ganeshotsav celebrations here an inclusive experience. The bylanes in Camp, including Bootee Street, Saifee Street and Dastur Meher Road, are a veritable "Mini India", where residents of all religions and castes live as friendly neighbours, enthusiastically participating in all festivals. "We celebrate all festivals — Hindu, Muslim, and Christian — because religious harmony has always been a defining character of our locality.
There has never been any religious unrest or riots in this area. This spirit of togetherness shines brightest during festivals," said Vishal Vohal, the president of Shree Krishna Tarun Mandal. Generations have witnessed the seamless blending of traditions in this area.
Lawrence Fernandes, a sprightly 72-year-old, said, "Being born and brought up here, celebrating Ganeshotsav came as naturally to us as celebrating Christmas. The same pandal that houses the Ganapati idol is transformed into a stage for the nativity scene during Christmas. We celebrate all festivals.
" This sentiment echoes among many residents who returned to their beloved Camp, even after moving to different parts of the city, to catch up with old pals and partake in the festivities. The spirit of unity is particularly palpable during the vibrant Ganeshotsav celebrations. Several Ganesh mandals boast of Muslim and Christian members in prominent roles.
Abdullah Shaikh (39), who runs a clothing store in the area and is the head of the welcoming committee of the Hind Tarun Mandal, said the deep-rooted bonds within the local community have always transcended religious boundaries. "My family has been living in the building beside the mandal for four generations. During Eid, we first send sheer kurma to our Hindu friends and neighbours, and during Diwali, they first send us homemade faral and sweets.
I have been a part of this mandal since I was 10, and help with social awareness campaigns and charitable initiatives." Dilip Giramkar, a former corporator of the area and president of Hind Tarun Mandal, highlighted the presence of churches, synagogues, dargahs and mosques in the locality. He said, "Our members are a sub-section of the diverse local population of various religions, castes and communities.
During Muslim festivals, many Hindu mandal members join the juloos (religious processions). You will not find such national integration anywhere else in the city." The true essence of the celebrations in the area lies in the active participation of its diverse community.
Several Ganesh mandals, established pre-Independence, boast a history of Muslim and Christian presidents, shattering barriers and fostering a sense of shared ownership and responsibility. The Kamathipura Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Mandal at Bhopal Chowk holds a special place in the locality's history. The mandal was established in 1900 by Lokmanya Tilak.
Kishore Singh, a mandal member, said, "Every religion talks about doing good karma for the betterment of society, and this is the fundamental principle of our mandal. We have members from every community involved in various charity works, such as distributing books to students and installing water filters in schools in drought-prone areas in Maharashtra. Just as our forefathers worked together for the freedom of the country, our mandal members have been working on various initiatives in the same spirit of brotherhood and national integration.
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