35,000 women chant 'Atharvashirsha' at Pune's Dagdusheth Ganapati pandal

Pune: Nearly 35,000 women chanted 'Atharvashirsha', a Sanskrit text dedicated to Lord Ganesh, at the famous Shrimant Dagdusheth Ganapati pandal in Maharashtra's Pune city on Sunday morning during the ongoing 10-day Ganesh festival.

Dressed in traditional attire, the women gathered at the pandal early morning and recited the hymn, the event organisers said.

Lord Ganesh is worshipped as the deity of knowledge, wisdom and good fortune.

Every year, thousands of women chant the Sanskrit text on the second day of the Ganesh festival.

The Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganapati Trust, a charitable organisation based in Pune, said this is the 39th year of the annual recital of 'Atharvashirsha' at their Ganesh festival celebrations.

People in Pune welcomed Ganpati Bappa with a 'pratishthapana puja' across households and mandals on Saturday.

The elephant-headed god was also welcomed with devotion and traditional fervour at the city's famous five Manache Ganpati mandals -Kasba Ganpati mandal, Sri Tambadi Jogeshwari Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandal, Guruji Talim mandal, Tulshibaug Ganpati mandal and Kesariwada Ganeshotsav mandal.

The public celebration of the festival in the state dates back to 1890s when freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak and others decided to use it to mobilise the masses.