To celebrate 125 years of the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has organised special pandal tours in Mumbai, Pune and Konkan till September 3. A separate enclosure, which can accommodate 200 people per hour, will be set up for foreign tourists to witness the visarjan at Girgaum Chowpatty on September 5.
An audiovisual presentation will acquaint participants of the tour to the 125-year-old journey of the ganeshotsav. The tours will cover major pandals such as Ganesh Gully, Chintamani Chinchpokali, Rang Ari Badak Chawl and Brahman Sabha, which is celebrating its centenary. There will be special visits to the eco-friendly ganesh idol at Girgaum, Keshavaji Naik Chawl Ganapati started by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, GSB Seva Mandal Ganapati and Siddhivinayak temple. The tours can be booked on the MTDC website.
An MTDC spokesperson said, “During the tours, participants will be able to witness cultural programmes, participate in rituals, taste local delicacies, folk dances such as Mangala Gaur and Koli dance.” Minister of Tourism Jaykumar Rawal said, “Visitors will get a chance to participate in ceremonies, traditional events and societal initiatives.”
In Pune, the tour will begin at at 12.30 p.m. from Shaniwar Wada, progress through Kasbapeth Ganesh pandal, and stop by to catch a glimpse of the ganeshas at Tambadi Jogeshwari, Guruji Talim, Dagdusheth and Tulshibaug ganeshas.
The first day of the Konkan tour will be spent visiting the ganesh pandal in Dive Agar. Following the night stay, participants will be taken on a tour of ganesh pandals in Harihareshwar.