Here’s the Kasba Ganpati

The recent acts of terrorism in the country may have shaken the police force in the city, but the spirit of Ganesh devotees is simply seen to be believed. The long queues of devotees to take darshan of the Kasba Ganpati, the presiding deity (Gramdaivat) of the city, continues to lengthen by the day. Like every year, the Kasba Ganpati Mandal has decided to hand over the management to women volunteers for a day on September 11.

It has been a 114-year-old tradition that the Kasba Ganpati is recognised as the first Manacha Ganpati of the city. Hundreds of devotees pray to the Kasba Ganpati for well-being. Along with tradition, the Kasba Ganpati Mandal is known for its progressive social activities including encouraging women to participate in the utsav.

“As part of this progressive step, during the ten-day festival only women volunteers manage the activities for the entire day," said Muralidhar Deshpande, executive president of Kasba Ganpati Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal Trust. “This year on September 11 all the daily activities including pooja, aarti, playing sanai-chawghade and managing queues of devotees will be looked after by the women volunteers,” he said.

The roots of how Kasba Ganpati became the first Manacha Ganpati can be traced to 1894. According to researchers, Bhau Rangari Ganpati Mandal is said to be the first mandal to celebrate the Ganeshotsav in 1892, when its founder Bhau Rangari installed the Ganpati in Shalukarancha Bol in Budhwar Peth. Ganpatrao Ghotawadekar and Nanasaheb Khasagiwale also installed Ganpati the same year.

Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak applauded the efforts of Bhau Rangari to install the Ganesh idol and carrying out inclusive immersion procession in an article in Kesari in 1893. Accordingly in 1894, several Ganpatis were installed publicly. In 1894, a meeting was held to chalk out the plan for immersion procession where Tilak was also present. It was decided that Kasba Ganpati would go first as it is the presiding deity (Gramdaivat) of the city.

This tradition is going on since then. Tambadi Jogeshwari is the second Manacha Ganpati, as it is Gramdevata of the city. It is said that being the biggest Talim (a place where wrestlers are trained) in those years, Ganpati of Guruji Talim was allotted the third position in the immersion procession followed by Tulshibaug (the fourth Manacha Ganpati ) and then Kesariwada (the fourth Manacha Ganpati ), which was installed by Tilak in 1894.

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