1 week Ago By Ardhra Nair
1 2 3 Pune: As the city welcomed Bappa with the reverberations of dhol-tasha (drum and cymbal) and the sweet smell of modak , the next thing on the agenda for Puneites is to catch a glimpse of the traditional as well as new-age Ganesh pandals . Various organisations have started offering Ganesh pandal walks — from the state tourism department to private agencies. The walks, concentrated in the old city area, provide insights into the origins, history, stories associated with specific pandals, and their present form, along with delectable modak.
Citizens are also planning to take the help of social media to visit this year’s most talked about pandals. Sonu Singh, a yoga teacher from Uttarakhand, who is staying with his friends in Pune, is excited about his first Ganesh festival in the city. “I have been seeing the grandeur of Ganesh festival in Maharashtra in movies and social media.
This year, I plan to enjoy the festival and have decided to join a Ganesh walk. I am also excited to witness the grand traditional procession on the last day of the festival, Singh said. The Ganesh walks cost between Rs400 and Rs550 per person for a 2-3 hour tour.
Tickets are available online from ticketing websites. The state tourism department has organised walks from Sept 7 to 14. The walk, priced at Rs500, starts from Shaniwarwada and covers Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati, Kasba Ganapati, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganapati, Tulshibaug Ganapati, Guruji Talim Ganapati and Bhau Rangari Ganapati.
The tour will be held in batches twice a day. Randhir Jaya Naidu, founder of Pune Heritage Walks, said this year, he has participants from faraway places like Indore. “We launched Ganesh pandal walks in 2022 and the response has only grown each year.
People enjoy these guided tours as they learn stories behind each pandal while getting direct access to the idol. We also provide the participants with modak, a saffron Nehru cap and shawl to set the mood,” Naidu said. The participants, Naidu said, are a mix of locals and outsiders.
“This year, we have seen a lot of youngsters taking interest in the walks,” he said. The walks are held twice daily — once in the morning and once in the evening. Vidya Sonawane, who works in the financial sector, said she loves pandal hopping but is wary of the traffic.
“We need more designated parking areas, better traffic management, people following traffic rules and better public conveyance to reach the pandals without taking our private vehicles. I have never been to any walks but may go for a walk soon,” Sonawane said..
