The Maharashtrian community in Hyderabad is celebrating the arrival of Lord Ganesh with great enthusiasm. They are embracing their cultural traditions and using their traditional musical instrument, the Dhol Tasha, to welcome Bappa. The members of the Maharashtrian Dhol Tasha Pathak are ready to showcase their skills not only within their community but also at various Ganesh pandals across the city.
This year, the community has come up with unique themes for their puja celebrations, including a Chandrayaan 3 theme. There are approximately 80,000 Marathi families in Hyderabad/Secunderabad, concentrated in areas like Shalibanda, Karwan, Gowliguda, Sultan Bazar, and more. The community is dedicated to preserving their age-old traditions and warmly welcomes Ganesh idols at the pandals. They have been advocating for eco-friendly idols and organizing eco-conscious immersion ceremonies.
Anand Kulkarni, president of Maharashtra Mandal, explained that they have been celebrating Ganesh puja in Hyderabad for 74 years, keeping their traditions alive even away from their homeland. They welcome Bappa with Dhol Tasha and Lezim, and their idol is always eco-friendly. They also organize a seven-day cultural program that showcases Marathi culture, culminating in an eco-friendly immersion ceremony.
Ambarish Lahankar, founder of Mitraangan – Maharashtrian of Hyderabad, mentioned that the Dhol Tasha is admired by all, not just within their community. They have been approached by several pandal organizers to perform with the Dhol Tasha. Their group, Maharashtrian Dhol Tasha Pathak, has been performing at various platforms for the past few years, including in front of Khairatabad Ganesh.
Captain Lele, a member of the Health League, shared that they have been celebrating in the traditional manner for 79 years. This year, their theme is dedicated to the Chandrayaan 3 achievement. They welcome Lord Ganesh with Pran Prathisthapana pooja, offering his favorite sweets and playing traditional Maharashtrian lexims and Marathi Dhol Tasha.
Overall, the Maharashtrian community in Hyderabad is actively preserving their traditions and embracing their cultural heritage during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
