1 2 3 Pune: As the city welcomed Bappa with the reverberations of dhol-tasha (drum and cymbal) and the sweet smell of modak , the next thing on the agenda for Puneites is to catch a glimpse of the traditional as well as new-age Ganesh pandals . Various organisations have started offering Ganesh pandal walks — from the state tourism department to private agencies. The walks, concentrated in the old city area, provide insights into the origins, history, stories associated with specific pandals, and their present form, along with delectable modak.
Citizens are also planning to take the help of social media to visit this year’s most talked about pandals. Sonu Singh, a yoga teacher from Uttarakhand, who is staying with his friends in Pune, is excited about his first Ganesh festival in the city. “I have been seeing the grandeur of Ganesh festival in Maharashtra in movies and social media.
This year, I plan to enjoy the festival and have decided to join a Ganesh walk. I am also excited to witness the grand traditional procession on the last day of the festival, Singh said. The Ganesh walks cost between Rs400 and Rs550 per person for a 2-3 hour tour.
Tickets are available online from ticketing websites. The state tourism department has organised walks from Sept 7 to 14. The walk, priced at Rs500, starts from Shaniwarwada and covers Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati, Kasba Ganapati, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganapati, Tulshibaug Ganapati, Guruji Talim Ganapati and Bhau Rangari Ganapati.
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