First published on Sep 10, 2010-
Lokmanya Tilak was fighting against the British rule and wanted something to be done publicly which would get people together which will eventually help in the freedom struggle.
In 1905, Tilak commenced the idea of celebrating the Ganesh Festival on a Public basis(Sarvajanik). Since then, the same is followed even now all over.
After commencing the Sarvajanik mandals for Ganesh Festivities in Pune, Tilak came to Belagavi where he asked Belgaumites to come together, and in 1906, the Zenda Chowk Ganesh Utsav Mandal was formed.
Tilak was here in Belagavi in 1905 and he himself laid the first bamboo pillar of the pandal and ever since then the the legacy has been carried on by the Zenda Chowk Ganesh Utsav Mandal.
There are 6 Mandals which are a century old and the oldest is the Zenda Chowk Ganesh Utsav Mandal.
Govindrao Yalgi and Gangadharrao Deshpande took out a procession of Tilak from Raliway station to Zenda Chowk.
Zenda Chowk Ganesh Utsav Mandal now makes a collection of over a crore of rupees and uses the collected fund for various public service activities. From the year 2005, no public donations are collected by the mandal, all the expenses are borne by the interest received on the deposit. The Mandal helps poor students and this year also organized a body building event.
The number of Sarvajani (public) Pendals has gone up to 400 in Belagavi city this year. That apart, 2850(approx) public Ganesh pendals are being set up across the district. The grand finale to be marked by a huge immersion procession in the city and other parts of the district on the eleventh day.
Ganpati Bappa Morya !!
