You Cannot Miss This: The Best Ganpati Pandals in Pune

Every festival has certain rituals and customs that are entrenched in faith. But there are also customs and traditions that we follow year after year that comes from getting together, having fun and enjoying the celebrations to the fullest.

For Ganesh Utsav, one of the biggest festivals of Maharashtra, getting yourself full with modaks, decorating the house and wearing new clothes to go pandal hopping are some of the fun customs that people indulge in. But with Pune having thousands of pandals it can get confusing to decide which ones to go to.

To make it easier for you to decide which pandals to visit, here is a list of the must visit places:

The Ganpati Pandal of Kasbapeth has historical significance in city of Pune. The temple which hosts the idol was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Jijabai Bhosale. Apart from that the Kasba Ganpati is also known as Manacha Pahila Ganpati, that is the Ganapati given the first importance. The Manacha Pahila Ganpati is also the presiding deity of Pune, called as Gramdaivat in Marathi. Therefore, visit this pandal for the piece of history and significance that it brings to Pune city.

The idol of Tambdi Jogeshwari is famous for its four-armed Ganpati adorned in the finest of jewellery and clothes. While the pandal is one of the most anticipated one by the public with its dome made out of silver. The pandal is also one of the oldest in the city and has been hosted by a Durga temple since 1893. The Tambdi Jogeshwari is also known as Manacha Dusra Ganpati, which means it is the Ganesh idol given the second most importance in the city.

The Gurji Talim Ganpati pandal was established by Ustaad Nalban and Bhiku Shinde. Hence, for over two centuries the Lord of the pandal is seen as a symbol of Hindu and Muslim unity with a shared Indian-Marathi culture. The pandal still maintains both this unity and showcasing of culture, since each year the backdrop is created by artisans with the theme of Maharashtrian art, craft, music, and etc. This is also the Ganpati with third most importance and therefore also known as Manacha Tisra Ganpati .

Tulshi Baug is the grand market place and shopping hotspot of Pune where you will find everything and anything. The shopkeepers in this market place rever their Tulshi Baug Ganpati as the reason why their marketplace is as flourishing as ever. So the Tulshi Baug Ganpati also known as Manacha Choutha Ganpati or Ganpati of fourth importance stands tall as the symbol of perseverance and hardwork of the small time hawkers, peddlers and shopkeepers. Apart from that the pandal which houses this 13-15 ft tall idol also follows a theme of a social cause and then donates a large sum of amount to the said cause every year during Ganeshotsav.

Located in Budhwar Peth, Shivaji Road this is the pandal that was set up by Lokmanya Tilak as a symbol of unity and resistance against British forces. Hence, after the Manacha Pachwa Ganpati (fifth important Ganpati) Lokmanya Tilak and other freedom fighters are revered in this pandal. This place is a remarkable piece of India's and Ganeshotsav's history and therefore is a must-visit.

Ganpati Utsav in Maharashtra is a celebration of India' culture, faith and history. And to experience this spirit of festivities the best place to start is from the pandals that host all the aspects of the grand utsav.

Read more about Ganeshotsav and find out the most unique modaks to try in Pune