Pune’s iconic Ganesh festival, known for its grandeur and cultural significance, is set to conclude today with the immersion of Ganpati idols.
As part of this long-standing tradition, the city’s residents have come out in full force, creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with celebration. The immersion procession started earlier this morning, with devotees enthusiastically welcoming the idols with showers of flowers and bursts of colored powder (gulal) at every major intersection.
Groups of youth are performing energetic drum routines (dhol-tasha), while traditional games add to the festive spirit. A massive crowd has gathered to witness the immersion of Pune's prestigious Ganpatis.
The immersion of the first prestigious Kasba Ganpati took place at 4:34 PM, amid chants of "Ganpati Bappa Morya" as devotees bid farewell to the idol, urging it to return next year.
The procession of the Kasba Ganpati had begun at 10:30 AM, followed closely by other prominent idols such as Tambadi Jogeshwari, Guruji Talim, and Tulshibaug.
These idols reached Belbaug Chowk approximately an hour apart from each other. The fifth prestigious Ganpati, from Kesariwada, reached Belbaug Chowk by 3:30 PM.
However, even after five hours since the start of the procession, the Kasba Ganpati had not yet reached Alka Chowk, sparking concerns that the immersion processions might continue well into the night, as they have in previous years. The slow pace of the immersion processions is not unusual, but it does raise questions about when the festivities will come to a close.
Simultaneously, the immersion procession of the famous Shri Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati has also commenced. The revered idol made its way to Belbaug Chowk in a grand procession, riding in a beautifully decorated chariot pulled by six pairs of oxen.
Aarti, performed by local police officials, marked the start of this immersion journey, which is now progressing along Laxmi Road.
