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Kashmiri Pandits in Pune Celebrate Ganeshotsav, Honoring Resilience and Tradition
25 Aug
Summary
- Kashmiri pandit Rohit Ravi Bhat adapts Ganeshotsav traditions in Pune
- Diverse communities gather to celebrate Ganeshotsav across the city
- Ganeshotsav unites people of different faiths under a shared festive spirit
As the drums of Ganeshotsav echo through the streets of Pune, the festival holds a deeper meaning for Kashmiri pandit Rohit Ravi Bhat. For him, the celebration is a testament to resilience, woven with threads of memory, migration, and cultural adaptation.
Despite being far from his home in Kashmir, Bhat and his family have seamlessly integrated Ganeshotsav into their lives. On the first day of the festival, they prepare the traditional roth, a large, sweet, ghee-laden roti, which their neighbors eagerly await to share.
Ganeshotsav is not limited to Maharashtrian homes in Pune. The festival finds expression in Kashmiri kitchens, Tamil chants, and Bengali homes, as diverse communities come together to preserve their cultural traditions. At the Madrasi Ganapati Temple, the South Indian community gathers to perform the Laksha Archana, the recitation of one lakh names of Ganesh.
Beyond the temple walls, the spirit of Ganeshotsav unites people of different faiths. At the Samast Gavakari Mandal in Kothrud, individuals from various backgrounds gather beneath the same pandal, bound by the shared joy of the festival. As daily routines pause and hearts beat in rhythm, the city celebrates the resilience and adaptability that define the Indian spirit.
