Pune Festival Practices Bring Public Space Into Focus
With Ganeshotsav approaching, Pune Municipal Corporation is working on a formal framework to regulate dhol-tasha and other troupe rehearsals across the city. The proposed system is expected to define where groups can practise, when sessions can be held and what permissions are required. The move comes after repeated complaints over noise and temporary occupation of civic spaces, putting festival traditions alongside residents’ right to a liveable neighbourhood.
The immediate concern is not the festival itself, but the growing number of rehearsal locations operating without a consistent approval process. Civic officials have identified riverbeds, school grounds and municipal open spaces near residential areas among locations where rehearsals have created complaints. The absence of a single framework has also made it harder to establish who is responsible for approving and monitoring individual practice sites. The issue is not new. Pune has previously struggled to find adequate rehearsal space for the city’s large network of dhol-tasha groups. Earlier reporting and civic records have shown that groups have practised in residential areas and on land controlled by different public agencies, creating overlapping permission requirements.
For a rapidly densifying city, the dispute is also about how public land is managed. School grounds, open spaces and riverfront areas serve multiple purposes, from recreation and pedestrian access to flood management and community activities. Urban planners say temporary cultural uses can coexist with these functions, but only when locations, operating hours, crowd movement and noise are planned in advance. Noise is particularly sensitive in compact residential neighbourhoods. Indian regulations restrict loudspeaker use during night hours, while authorities have historically issued festival-specific controls on sound systems and dhol-tasha groups. Previous Pune festival orders have also placed limits on troupe size and equipment during processions. The proposed rules could therefore create a more predictable system for both residents and performers. Designated practice zones, published time windows, clear application procedures and routine noise monitoring would reduce the scope for disputes while giving cultural groups certainty before rehearsals begin.
There is also a wider urban-design opportunity. Instead of treating rehearsal spaces as temporary encroachments, the city could assess whether suitably located civic land can be scheduled for cultural use without compromising residential peace, pedestrian access, ecological functions or public safety. This would be particularly relevant in a city where open land is increasingly contested. The Pune dhol-tasha debate ultimately reflects a familiar urban challenge: public spaces must serve different communities at the same time. A workable framework will need to protect cultural participation while ensuring that residents are not left to absorb unmanaged noise or loss of access to shared spaces. Clear rules, transparent permissions and consistent enforcement will matter as much as the festival itself.
