Fragrance of jasmine blooms a star attraction in Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati temple in Pune

PUNE: Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir on Laxmi Road was decked with mogra and other flowers on Monday as part of its annual tradition of celebrating spring. The sanctorum, walls, pillars, and all the parts of the temple were beautifully decorated with mogra, which abound during the season.
The strong scent of the flower hung around the temple premises, creating an ethereal atmosphere. Visitors flocked to the temple to see the decorations. The sight and smell inspired many to click pictures and videos and post them same on various social media platforms.
"We celebrated spring by decorating the temple with seasonal flowers such as mogra, lilies, chafa, marigold, jui, chameli, tagar, lotus, hibiscus and roses. Visitors trooped into the temple to escape the scorching heat and enjoyed the refreshing fragrance of flowers," said Mahesh Suryawanshi, treasurer, Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganapati Trust.
He added, "We also put sandalwood paste on the idol to create a cooling effect. Tilak made from sandalwood paste was also put on the foreheads of visitors to the temple"
Umesh Pawar, who visited the temple with his family, said, "We were fascinated by the intense fragrance of the mogra flower when we visited the temple on Monday. The decoration was grand, very beautiful and seemed dream-like."
"The intricate flower decorations were a treat to watch. It was a mesmerising sight to see the silver figurine of Ganapati bedecked in flowers of different shapes and sizes. The fragrance all around was overpowering," said another visitor to the temple
Subhash Sarpale, who has been sourcing flowers and managing the elaborate decorations at the temple for the last 18 years, said, "The execution of the plan starts a week before the festival. Flowers are sourced from various locations across the stae. My employees visit Market Yard in Pune, and other markets in Ahmednagar, Solapur, Nanded, and Pandharpur to collect large quantity of flowers required for the festival."
Sarpale added, "Flowers that can last longer are picked up first, taken to my godown in Gangadham, where they are sorted and then stringed. The mogras are sourced on the morning of the festival as these flowers last only 24 hours before they wilt."
He further said, "We get 20%, 30% or 40% of the total requirement from each market. This year, 675kg of mogra, 730 kg of chari, 300 kg of jhendu, 2,600 bundles of roses, 3,000 bundles of chafa, 1,700 bundles of lilies were procured for the temple decoration."
"Around 250-300 women come from Alandi to string the flowers. A group of 70-80 labourers come from Solapur and other places to decorate the temple. This year, we started the decoration at 3pm and completed it by 6.30pm. The mogras were in full bloom by that time," added Sarpale.