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Pune, 31st August 2024: For the second year in a row, the Ganeshotsav festival will be celebrated in the Kashmir Valley, thanks to an initiative led by Punit Balan, a young entrepreneur and the chief organizer of the Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Trust. This effort is supported by seven prominent Ganpati mandals from Pune, with the aim of promoting peace and social harmony among different religious communities in the region.
As part of this initiative, Ganesh idols were ceremonially handed over to three Ganesh mandals from Kashmir, following a traditional Puja performed by Pune’s Manache Ganpati mandals. Last year, the festival was celebrated for one and a half days at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. This year, the celebration will expand to three locations in the valley, with the festivities being held in Anantnag and Kupwara for five days.
Replicas of the esteemed Manache Ganpati idols were given to the mandals from Kashmir after the puja. The second Manacha Ganpati, Tambdi Jogeshwari, was presented to the Ganpatyar Trust from Lal Chowk in Srinagar. The third Manacha Ganpati, Guruji Talim, was handed over to the Kupwara Ganesh Mandal, and the fourth, Tulshibaug Ganpati, was given to the Anantnag Ganesh Mandal in south Kashmir. The idols were received by key office-bearers from the valley, including Mohit Bhan, Sandip Raina, Sandip Kaul, and Nitin Raina.
The event was attended by notable figures such as Punit Balan, Shrikant Shete from Kasba Ganpati Mandal, Prasad Kulkarni from Tambdi Jogeshwari Mandal, Pravin Pardeshi from Guruji Talim Mandal, Vikas Pawar and Nitin Pandit from Tulshibaug Ganpati Mandal, Anil Sapkal from Kesari Wada Mandal, and Anna Thorat, a senior worker and representative from Akhil Mandai Mandal.
Reflecting on the occasion, Anna Thorat remarked, “Ganeshotsav is celebrated worldwide, but its introduction in the sensitive region of Kashmir is a remarkable achievement by Punitji. This festival, which brings together people of all faiths, was pioneered in Pune by Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari, and now Punit Balan has taken this legacy to Kashmir.”
Shrikant Shete from Kasba Ganpati Mandal added, “Kashmir, known as paradise on Earth, will witness the celebration of Ganeshotsav for the second consecutive year, all thanks to Punitji’s initiative. He has done an exceptional job in bringing Pune’s traditions to Kashmir.”
Mohit Bhan from Ganpatyar Ganesh Mandal expressed his gratitude, saying, “We are overjoyed to celebrate the Ganesh Festival with the support of Punitji and the blessings of Ganpati Bappa. This festival will play a crucial role in promoting peace and social harmony in Kashmir.”
Sandip Raina noted, “This year marks the first time the festival will be celebrated in Anantnag, with active participation from college students, especially girls. Many of these young people have studied in Maharashtra, and I am confident they will enthusiastically embrace this celebration.”
Punit Balan, the driving force behind this initiative, shared his thoughts, saying, “Last year, we initiated the celebration of Ganeshotsav at Lal Chowk with the cooperation of the seven main Ganesh mandals. Despite the threat of terror, mandal workers approached me with a request to extend this movement to promote peace. This year, the festival will be held at three locations, showcasing Pune’s cultural tradition in Kashmir. I am thrilled to see the festival grow in the valley, and I pray to Bappa to bless Kashmir, India’s paradise, with lasting peace.”
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