Pune Ganeshotsav 2026: Fantasy, Candy Land And Jungle-Themed Tableaux Become Kids’ Favourite

Pune, 25th September 2026: Fantasy and entertainment-themed tableaux have emerged as a major attraction for children during this year’s Ganeshotsav in Pune, with several Ganesh mandals moving beyond traditional historical and social themes to create colourful, imaginative experiences.

Jungle settings, giant gorillas, candy-themed attractions, haunted houses and popular stories are drawing children and families to several mandals across the city. Many visitors are also sharing videos and reels of their experiences on social media, with some of the attractions witnessing queues throughout the day.

The Gorilla and Jungle tableau by Uday Mandal Trust, Candy Land by Shri Krishna Mandal at Deccan Gymkhana, Avatar by Apollo Tarun Mandal in Somwar Peth and Bhoot Bangla by Waghjai Mata Mitra Mandal near Dandekar Bridge are among the attractions drawing young visitors.

The Tumbbad-themed tableau by Jijamata Mitra Mandal near Lal Mahal has also emerged as an attraction. In Narayan Peth, Munjobacha Bol Tarun Mitra Mandal has created a tableau based on the children’s story Chal Re Bhopalya Tunuk Tunuk and The Monkey’s Heart.

At Uday Mandal Trust, the Gorilla and Jungle theme has been created for children for the second consecutive year. Organisers said the concept was inspired by the lack of open spaces and playgrounds for children in the city.

“Children do not have enough playgrounds to play in, and there is very little open space left in the city. Keeping this in mind, we created the Gorilla and Jungle tableau so that children can experience a jungle-like environment,” said Vilas Kathalkar, president of Uday Mandal Trust.

The attraction has received a positive response from children. Nine-year-old Meera Shah said she particularly enjoyed the candy-themed elements.

“I really enjoyed seeing the huge candies, chocolates, doughnuts, ice creams, biscuits and Cadbury chocolates. There were so many sweet things that I did not want to leave. The mandal also gave me a foot candy,” she said.

Meanwhile, Bharat Mitra Mandal has been creating tableaux specifically for children for the past 10 years. This year, it has presented Alibaba and the Forty Thieves, which has attracted a large number of young visitors.

“The aim is to entertain children. Alibaba is an interesting story that has been enjoyed by generations, so we decided to present it this year. We are receiving a good response from children,” said Anil Yenpure, secretary of Bharat Mitra Mandal.

The mandal plans to continue creating children’s themes in the coming years and is considering a Jurassic Park-themed tableau for next year’s Ganeshotsav.