Senior leader Ulhas Pawar has urged Ganesh festival organisations in Pune to show restraint in their use of DJs and loudspeakers, saying excessive noise can affect residents, including people who are ill, during processions and celebrations.
Pawar made the remarks while responding to the Lokmanya Jeevangaurav award presented to him by Pune Parivar at a ceremony in Pune. The event was attended by Mayor Manjusha Nagpure, Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane, BJP MLA Hemant Rasane and representatives of cultural and civic organisations, according to a report by Loksatta – Pune.
“DJ sound can cause discomfort to the ears. It can affect the heart. There are sick people in many homes. Thinking about others is also a part of our culture,” Pawar said, as reported by Loksatta – Pune.
He appealed to Ganesh mandals to ensure that the music played during the festival remained appropriate and did not undermine the religious and social character of the celebrations. Pawar also said families should feel assured that their children were participating in a safe and constructive festival environment.
Pune’s Ganesh festival is closely associated with the city’s cultural identity and public processions. Pawar referred to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s role in developing the festival as a platform for public awareness and social organisation during the freedom movement. He said the celebrations should continue to promote social unity and public education while remaining open to people across caste, religion and sect.
Pawar also cited an earlier campaign to reduce the use of coloured powder during processions. He said gulal had caused eye-related problems in the past and that efforts by festival organisers and other participants had led to a visible reduction in its use. He presented this as an example of how festival practices could be modified when they created difficulties for residents.
Mayor Manjusha Nagpure said Pune’s cultural heritage and the Ganesh festival had given the city a distinct identity internationally. She said elected representatives had a responsibility to protect the city’s religious and cultural character, according to the report.
The remarks came as several individuals and festival groups were recognised at the event. The Ganaraya Gunagaurav awards went to people involved in a health campaign, idol-making training at Yerawada Central Jail and dhol-tasha performances. Awards were also presented to representatives of Ganesh mandals in Narayan Peth, Erandwane, Dhankawadi, Yerawada and Tulshibaug.
The report did not specify any new municipal order, enforcement measure or festival noise-control timetable linked to Pawar’s remarks. It also did not include a response from the Pune civic administration or police on enforcement arrangements.
