Pune Festival

Welcome to one of the biggest and celebrated Festivals and Events in Pune – the Pune Festival. This popular festival is popularly held between August-September during the popular Ganesh Mahotsav. This festival begins on the day of the installation of the idols of Lord Ganesha and lasts till the immersion of the idols of Ganesha on the tenth day.

Late Sardar Krishnaji Kashinath was the main patronage of the popular Ganesh festival. He wanted to give the festival a form of popular public celebrations. In the historic year of 1893 Shri Ghotawadekar, Shri Bhau Rangari and Shri Khajgiwale were the first to stage three mandals to start public merriment of the popular Ganesh festival. Later on Lokmanya Tilak tried to give Ganesh festival the form of a public movement.

The Maharastra Tourism Development Corporation organizes this festival each year. People wait for the whole year to take part in this event with full enthusiasm. In this festival, many world-class performances are organized. Some of the popular programs of this festival include a Film and drama festival, classical dance and music recitals automobile rallies and some other traditional sports events. Local as well as other eminent artist take part in this festival. Moreover, during this festival people are really in a jolly mood. You can find many pandals worshipping lord Ganesha. Many film celebrities and film stars also patronize this mega festival. Nowadays the Pune Festival and the Ganapati Mahotsav have become identical for an outsider.

In the year 2006 the Pune festival was held in Nehru stadium in Pune. The chief guest of this festival was Ambika Soni and the chief patron was Hema Malini. In this festival many celebrities took park. Some of the popular programs, which were held during this event, include Sanai Vadan by Tukaram Daithankar, Acrobratics by China National Acrobatic Group, Shri Ganesh Vandana by Meenakshi Seshadri and troupe, Lavani medley by Varsha Usgaonkar, Ganesh Arti and some other fabulous performances.