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History

Nestled at the confluence of the Mula and Mutha rivers, Pune’s transformation from the small hamlet of Punawadi to a bustling metropolis is a testament to its rich history. The city’s ascent began in 1630 when Queen Jijabai Bhosale and her son Shivaji arrived. Witnessing the plight of the local populace, Shivaji vowed to liberate them from Mughal oppression. A fortuitous discovery of a Ganesh idol near Queen Jijabai’s residence led to the construction of the revered Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandir, marking the auspicious beginning of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s empire, Swarajya. Shri Kasba Ganpati is also the deity of Pune and is worshiped by millions of Punekars.

Under subsequent Peshwa rule, Pune flourished as a cultural hub, renowned for its grand Ganesh celebrations at Shaniwarwada. This legacy reached new heights in 1893 when Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a visionary freedom fighter, transformed private devotion to Lord Ganesh into a public festival. Initiated at his Kesari Wada residence, the ‘Sarvajanik Ganpati’ united people across social strata, fostering a sense of collective identity and resistance against British rule.

Tilak’s genius lay in transforming religious fervor into a platform for social and political awakening. The emergence of numerous Ganesh mandals across Pune added a vibrant dimension to the festival, with each mandal creating its own unique idol. Each mandal in Pune started celebrating the ‘Sarvajanik Ganpati’ festival with great fanfare and devotion.

Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal, being the deity of Pune, also started celebrating the ‘Sarvajanik Ganpati’ from 1893 and is a significant part of Pune and Maharashtra’s Ganpati festival.

Today, the trustees, members, volunteers, and devotees of Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal celebrate the 10-day long Ganpati festival with great fanfare and perform many activities that bring social awareness to society and educate citizens. Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal also provides a unique platform for socio-economic development.

The 10-day long festival culminates with Lord Ganpati’s immersion procession, which is witnessed, watched, and celebrated by millions of devotees. Pune, being the cultural heritage of Maharashtra, attracts millions of devotees to the immersion procession. This immersion procession, led by the first honored deity of Pune—Shri Kasba Ganpati, has become a symbolic culmination of the festivities.

In 1893, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the great freedom fighter of India, initiated the Ganesh festival to bring like-minded people together to share ideas and exchange thoughts on freeing India from British rule. Tilak began celebrating the festival at his home in Kesari Wada, and soon others followed suit.

Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal also started celebrating Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav in 1893 and has since become an integral part of Pune’s Ganpati festival. As the deity of Pune, Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal holds the honor of being the first Ganpati Mandal, attracting millions of devotees each year.

Today, Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal is a non-profit organization formally registered with the Government of Maharashtra. It has a governing body of trustees, along with members, volunteers, and devotees who celebrate the Ganpati festival with great fanfare every year. Beyond the festival, the Mandal is active in various social works, including village adoption, education for the needy, women empowerment, and providing a platform for artists to showcase their talent. The Mandal also established and runs a library for children, promoting reading in the community.

As a socially responsible organization, Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal undertakes activities to educate society on current issues. In the past, it has encouraged devotees to immerse Ganpati idols in water tanks instead of rivers to conserve nature and save water in drought-affected areas. The Mandal has also appealed to citizens to donate food grains (एक मूठ धान्य) to needy villagers, matching the contributions and donating the accumulated food grains. Additionally, it helped the renowned Bhandarkar Institute re-establish its library and collection of books after they were damaged by miscreants. Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal continues to engage in activities that enrich society.

Shri Kasba Ganpati Mandal celebrates the Ganpati festival innovatively while preserving and maintaining rich cultural traditions.