Pune: This Ganapati season, families are choosing artificial flowers for mandap décor in homes, with decorators creating elaborate, theme-based setups that combine floral arches, layered backdrops, greenery, traditional elements and warm lighting.From royal maroon and gold arrangements to pastel botanical themes and oversized floral walls that can look fresh through the entire festival — the emphasis is to create spaces worthy for a spot on social media. Artificial flowers are also practical, offer consistency, are reusable and more flexible than fresh ones, said decorators.“We placed the order for the Ganapati mandap shortly after booking the idol. We have chosen theme-based decoration with the concept of Lord Shiva,” said Shweta Kamat, a resident of Undri.Paresh Kulkarni, a resident of Kothrud, has opted for artificial flower décor for his Ganapati mandap. “It becomes tedious and expensive to keep changing real flowers every two-three days. The artificial flower mandap can be used for many years. It’s an investment of sorts,” he said.Decorators said bookings for mandaps started about 15-20 days ago and most customised ones are already ready. “We use foam for the mandap. Themes like Swami Samarth, Lord Vitthal and Goddess Mahalaxmi are trending. There is also an in-built LED system available in mandaps now,” said Shyam Kandalkar, who runs Omkar Arts in Pimpri Chinchwad.Mandap prices have also gone up by 15%-20% over the last year, because of the price hike in raw materials like foam, imported flowers. “Around 70%-80% of bookings are already done. The mandaps are pre-designed and sold according to the size required. Artificial flowers look real and that’s the reason people are opting for them,” said Ashish Jadhav, who runs Sukanya Events.Another vendor for Ganapati décor said eco-friendly materials have gained popularity. “People want décor made from reusable and biodegradable material. There is a growing preference for setups that can be dismantled and reused, rather than decorations discarded after the festival,” he said.Rajesh Satam, from Morya Eco Friendly Ganpati Décor, said, “Most of the demand is for theme-based mandaps. We have already got some advance bookings, but expect a big chunk to come in the first week of Sept.”
