35 Pune Ganesh Mandals Unite for Grand Dahi-Handi Celebration Led by Punit Balan Group

Pune, 26th August 2024: In a significant move to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance security during festive celebrations, 35 prominent Ganesh mandals in Pune have come together under the leadership of the Punit Balan Group (PBG) to organize a unified Dahi-Handi event this year.

Historically, Dahi-Handi celebrations across various city locations have led to severe traffic disruptions and posed challenges for the police department in terms of security management. To address these concerns, Punit Balan, President of PBG and a key figure in the city’s Ganesh festivities, has spearheaded an initiative to bring together multiple mandals for a centralized celebration at the historic Lal Mahal Chowk.

Punit Balan explained that for several years, PBG, in collaboration with the Guruji Talim Mandal, has hosted a joint Dahi-Handi event, which has quickly gained popularity. This year, in light of the growing traffic and security issues, Balan reached out to other Ganesh mandals with a proposal to hold a common Dahi-Handi celebration. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 35 mandals from the city’s core areas agreeing to participate in this collective event.

The grand Dahi-Handi celebration is scheduled to take place at Lal Mahal Chowk in Kasba Peth on Tuesday, August 27. Balan has extended an invitation to all Pune residents to join in the festivities.

The Ganesh mandals participating in the common Dahi-Handi celebrations inclulde Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Trust, Shri Tambdi Jogeshwari Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal Trust, Shri Tulshibaug Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal Trust, Shrimant Peshwe Ganpati Mandir, Puneshwar Mahadev Mandir Utsav Samiti, Navgraha Mitra Mandal Trust, Shri Sane Guruji Tarun Mandal, Hutatma Bhagat Singh Mitra Mandal, Trimuti Mitra Mandal (Manik Chowk), Janardan Pawale Sangh, Suyog Mitra Mandal Samyukta Siddhivinayak Mitra Mandal, Krantivir Rajguru Mandal, Shri Hanuman Mandal (Agrawal Talim), Krantivir Chandra Shekhar Azad Mandal, Janata Janardan Mandal, Vijay Arun Mandal Trust, Vyavahar Ali Chowk Mandal, Shri Abhimanyu Mandal Trust, Shri Krushna Mitra Mandal, Fani Ali Talim Trust, Tarun Shiv Ganesh Mitra Mandal Trust, Oscar Mitra Mandal, Prakash Mitra Mandal, Lokhande Talim Sangh, Twashta Kasar Samaj Sanstha, Bhoiraj Mitra Mandal, Thorle Bajirao Mitra Mandal, Bharat Mitra Mandal, Prabhat Pratishthan, Lal Mahal Navratro Utsav Samiti, Shri Kasba Ganpati Shiv Jayanti Utsav Mandal, Suryoday Pratishthan (Kharadi), Ganesh Mitra Mandal (Alka Chowk), Shri Gajanan Mandal (Laxmi Road) and Gurudatta Mitra Mandal (Mandai).

‘पुनीत बालन ग्रुप’च्या माध्यमातून ३५ सार्वजनिक मंडळांची संयुक्त दहीहंडी

Commenting on the initiative, Punit Balan said, “Traditionally, Dahi-Handi celebrations are organized by various Ganesh mandals and social groups, but this has increasingly put pressure on the police due to the scale of the events. The resulting traffic jams and noise pollution have also been a concern. To mitigate these issues and support the police in managing the festivities, we decided to organize a large, joint Dahi-Handi celebration. We are grateful to all the major mandals that have agreed to participate in this effort.”