Pune: As pandals go up and residents prepare to welcome their favourite Bappa home, local travel companies and heritage and culture experts are getting ready to take citizens on a journey through Pune’s old city — its narrow lanes, historic wadas, tucked-away and popular temples, decorated mandals and the sounds of traditional instruments.For many citizens, Ganapati heritage walks have become a preferred way to experience the sights and sounds of Ganeshotsav. More than just temple- or pandal-hopping, these walks offer a glimpse into the festival’s rich history, its evolution over the years and the social and cultural fabric that has shaped Pune.Nishigandha Sakhardande of Travia Outdoors has been organising a Ganesh festival walk since 2018. A conservation architect, Sakhardande leads the three-hour weekend walk, which begins at 6am from Shaniwarwada and ends at the same spot, with participants treated to generous helpings of Bappa’s favourite, modak. “The participants are a mixture of locals and expats who want to learn about the festivities. We have many people who join our walks every year. The walk starts with us showing a copy of a painting of the Peshwa Ganapati done by a British officer. We talk about the history of the festival as well as the city and its social and cultural fabric for participants to better understand the walk,” she said.Sakhardande’s walk covers the five Manache Ganapati, along with other prominent mandals in the core city area, giving participants an opportunity to explore the festival against the backdrop of the city’s historic neighbourhoods.Supriya Shelar of Ayan conducts a walk before the start of the festival, taking participants through the bustling markets and grand preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi. Held for the past four years, the walk looks beyond the festivities to explore the evolution and significance of Ganesha as a deity. “The walk covers the main temples, pandals and markets but most importantly, I talk about Ganapati as a deity, the stories and reason for worshipping him, his different names and forms, iconography of the idols and depiction of Ganapati in different countries, such as Cambodia,” said Shelar, a postgraduate in Indology.Shelar also conducts group and private tours during the festival, allowing participants to explore the traditions at their own pace.For Leena Damle, taking part in this year’s Ganapati walk is also an opportunity to revisit places that were part of her childhood. “My parents used to take me to see the decorations and live acts when I was young but I never got to learn in-depth history of the places we visited. Over the years I did not get time to visit the pandals due to work commitments. This year, however, I have decided to take part in a Ganesh walk to understand the core of the festival and learn stories behind the temples and pandals,” Damle said.For Preeti Sahni and her 14-year-old son Vivansh, Ganeshotsav has become synonymous with an early-morning guided walk and generous helpings of modak. “We have been doing the Ganesh walk for the past five years with Travia Outdoors. It never gets boring as we learn something new every year. The walk during Ganeshotsav was an excellent way to introduce my son to the city and the culture and we keep coming back each year,” said Sahni.Vivansh, too, looks forward to the experience. “The walk is very informative and the explanations help understand the festival. My favourite spot is the Trishund Ganapati temple,” he said.The Sahnis, who live in Wagholi, leave home before the break of dawn to make their way to the old city for their annual history lesson. For them, and many others who join these walks, Ganeshotsav itself becomes a story to be lived.
