Pune’s 60 Ganesh Mandals to Begin Immersion Processions at 7 AM This Year
Pune, 14th August 2025: In a significant shift from tradition, 60 Ganesh mandals from Pune’s historic peth areas have announced that they will begin their immersion processions at 7 AM this year, instead of waiting until after the customary start time of 10:30 AM. The decision, they said, was taken to ease the inconvenience faced by citizens, police, and the municipal administration due to the prolonged duration of the processions in recent years.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference at the Patrakar Bhavan, where representatives from the mandals expressed their collective stance. Traditionally, Pune’s world-famous Ganesh immersion procession begins with the aarti of the first honoured mandal, Shri Kasba Ganpati, at around 10:30 AM. However, the participating mandals plan to commence their processions early in the morning from Belbagh Chowk, bypassing the wait for the traditional sequence.
Ganesh Bhokare, president of Mutheshwar Ganpati Mandal, criticised what he described as a monopoly by certain prominent mandals over key procession routes such as Laxmi Road. “For years, a few mandals have taken control of Laxmi Road and refused to relinquish it. This has caused delays and frustration among other mandals. This year, 60 of us have decided to begin our immersion at 7 AM to avoid the wasted early hours,” he said.
Suresh Jain, president of Rameshwar Chowk Tarun Mandal, added, “Ganeshotsav does not belong to a select few prominent mandals — it belongs to all devotees and participants. We will start before the ‘Manacha Ganpati’ processions, with a one-mandal, one-dhol-tasha pathak format.”
Bhausaheb Karpe urged Maharashtra Chief Minister to intervene to preserve Pune’s Ganeshotsav traditions. “So far, there hasn’t been a single joint meeting of all mandals. A united meeting must be held soon to find a resolution,” he said.
