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Malegaon:
Unlike the tradition at other places in Maharashtra, the Ganesh
decoration in Malegaon is observed only on the evening before the
final immersion day. However Ekta Mandal which turns 25 this year
has challenged the decades old custom by erecting a model of
Gwaliar’s popular sacred hot spot – a move which is not only
attracting a sizeable crowd but also giving sleepless nights to
rival mandals of the city.
The mandal famous for creating
replicas of the prominent Mandirs of neighbourhood and popular
ones from across the country, in its silver jubilee year, has come
out with a model of Gwaliar’s Surya Mandir originally built by GD
Birla with such an architectural precision that people from all
across the region are thronging the venue since the day one of the
10-day Ganesh Festival to have at least a look.
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'Demi' Surya
Mandir |
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"The entire structure
built on around 3500sqft and having a 70 ft height is completely
waterproof. Despite last ten days of heavy rains, one can see it
standing high and totally fresh”, Pawar said. |
“They have brought the Surya Mandir from Gwaliar to Malegaon. Its
no less than a dream for people like us who cannot afford to
travel to faraway places to have the sacred architect in front of
us here itself”, Shivaji Maharaj, a keertan-kar who travelled 70
kms to have a look of the ‘demi Surya Mandir’ said while talking
to ummid.com.
Brainchild of Sargeorao Pawar, an architect who is also one of the
founder members of the mandal, the replica took 45 days and hard
labour of 25 artists who came from Kolkata bringing along with
them most of the materials including the bamboos in tonnes from
West Bengal to get the job done successfully.
"The entire structure
built on around 3500sqft and having a 70 ft height is completely
waterproof. Despite last ten days of heavy rains, one can see it
standing high and totally fresh”, Pawar said.
This is not the first time the mandal has attracted the attention.
In the past 25 years the mandal every Ganesh Festival brought
something new and unique for the city.
“Malegaon does not have a
place to freak out especially for a family. We try to fill this
gap at least once in a year during Ganesh Festival”, Sunil Gaikwad,
the founder president of the mandal who is also a sitting
Municipal Councillor said.
The mandal that had in the year 2008 introduced DJ music system in
Malegaon during Ganesh festival has impressed the administration
also by its discipline.
“We have a huge following and every year
20-25 thousand people join us for the immersion procession. But we
strictly abide by the rules and take special care that we complete
all rituals before the scheduled time, We have also brought
eco-friendly Ganesh murti from Amravati which is made up of
Shalu-Maati.”, Gaikwad said.
The efforts have not been unreturned.
Impressed by the discipline, the administration handed them the
‘Most Disciplined Mandal Award’ for four consecutive years.
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