Pune: Grand Procession Bids Emotional Farewell to Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati
Cold-fire illumination and flower showers make the immersion procession a spectacular sight
Pune: Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati, regarded as the first public Ganpati of Hindustan, was given an emotional farewell at around 4 am on Saturday amid a grand and devotional procession. The beautifully decorated ‘Shri Vighnaharta Rath’, cold-fire illumination, flower showers along the route, the powerful beats of dhol-tasha and chants of “Morya Morya” made the immersion procession a memorable spectacle.
Thousands of devotees lined the immersion route to catch a final glimpse of Bappa.
On Anant Chaturdashi, Friday, the day began with a puja and aarti at around 7.30 am, performed by Dr. Bhavarth Dekhane, chief trustee of Alandi Devasthan, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Krushikesh Rawale. At 8 am, the ‘Shri Vighnaharta Rath’, carrying the idol of Bappa, left Shri Ganesh Suvarnadham Temple and proceeded towards the Tilak statue at Mandai for the immersion procession.
As per tradition, at the Tilak statue, Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Trust festival chief and trustee Punit Balan offered floral garlands to all five Manache Ganpatis.
The actual immersion procession of Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati began at around 9 pm. Punit Balan took charge as the charioteer of the ‘Shri Vighnaharta Rath’. At around 9.45 pm, the procession reached Belbaug Chowk.
The procession was led by the statue of Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari accompanied by a nagara. This was followed by a thrilling display of traditional martial arts by ShivYoddha Mardani Akhada. Performances by Yuva Vadya Pathak, Shriram and Ramanbaug dhol-tasha troupes further heightened the festive atmosphere.
At several points along the route, volunteers showered flowers on the Vighnaharta Rath. The cold-fire illumination mounted on the chariot added a dazzling visual element and drew widespread attention from devotees.
At around 3.30 am, the Shri Vighnaharta Rath reached Tilak Chowk. Thousands of devotees gathered there welcomed Bappa with loud chants of “Morya Morya”. Additional Commissioner of Police Tejaswini Satpute performed the final aarti before the idol proceeded towards the immersion site.
At 4.01 am, Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati was immersed with devotion in the municipal tank at Panchaleshwar immersion ghat, bringing the grand celebrations to an emotional conclusion.
“The immersion procession of Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Trust’s Ganpati was held with the same enthusiasm and festive spirit as every year. We were ready to join the procession at the time allotted by the police administration, but there was a delay due to certain reasons. After receiving permission from the police, we joined the immersion procession on Laxmi Road and made every effort to complete it in the shortest possible time.
“It is certainly emotional to bid farewell to Bappa, but we will immediately begin preparations for next year’s Ganeshotsav with new ideas. I sincerely thank the police administration, Pune Municipal Corporation, office-bearers of the mandal and all the volunteers for their cooperation in ensuring that the entire Ganeshotsav was conducted peacefully and enthusiastically.”
- Punit Balan (Festival Chief and Trustee, Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Trust)
