Pune Ganesh Festival: Mandals without temples allowed to build small pandals for installing Ganesh idols

Pune: With only five days left for the much awaited Ganeshotsav to start, the Ganesh mandals without their own temples have been permitted to build a small pandal to install Ganesh idols during the 10 day festival. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pune Police officials have allowed these mandals to build small pandals but also asked them to take necessary precautions to avoid the spread of Covid-19.

The civic and police officials have appealed for a simple and low key celebration of the 10 day Ganeshotsav in the city as Covid-19 outbreak is not yet under control. It is feared that if a pandal is allowed to set up on the road, there will be unnecessary crowding of citizens which will spread the coronavirus further. Therefore, the police had insisted that Ganesh idols should be installed in temples as much as possible. A request was made that mandals that do not have their own temples should be allowed to set up at least small pandals.

The municipal corporation and police officials said that the demand of the mandals has finally been met and only those mandals not having their own temple can now set up small pandals on the road. Adequate access to ambulances and other vehicles engaged in emergency services will have to be given while building the pandal.

Since the Municipal Corporation and the Police have now given permission, Ganesh mandals in the city, including the first prestigious five mandals can put up a pandal according to their minimum basic requirement. However, mandals will have to ensure that there will be no unnecessary crowding of devotees and other people at the place. Local police officials will monitor the size of the pandal built by the mandals.

Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said, “Considering the pandemic situation due to Covid-19, this year's Ganeshotsav celebration will be simple and low-key. Not all Ganesh mandals have temples in the city. In order to install Ganesh idols during the festival, such mandals should build small mandaps and while doing so should follow all the rules laid down by local administration including the police department. Everyone should cooperate with the administration to overcome this crisis.”

Pune Police Commissioner K Venkatesham said, “Those Ganesh mandals which do not have their own temple and do not have a place to celebrate the festival, should build very small pandals. They should keep in mind their social responsibility while doing so. These pandals will be inspected by local police officials. More and more Ganesh mandals should try to install Ganesh idols in their temples instead of pandals.”