The hottest pagdis and phetas this Ganpati

Phetas and pagdis are the crowning glories for people on various festive occasions. And when it comes to the Ganpati festival, not only do the elephant God’s worshippers wear the special headgear, but even Bappa adorns them. And this year, it is the Malhar pagdi that has caught the attention of many mandals across the city. Here’s a look at the pagdis and phetas that are hot this year.
Malhar Pagdi
Cashing on the popularity of the TV show Jai Malhar, a lot of mandals this year have opted for the Malhar pagdi that Lord Khandoba wears.The Visawa Maruti Mandal near Poona Hospital happens to be one of them. “The Malhar pagdi on our idol has been in use since the last 6 years but it is only this year that a lot of mandals are opting for it,” said Keshav Kumbhar, president of the mandal.
Kolhapuri Pheta
The Ganpati idol at Gavri Aali Mandal has gone for a Kolhapuri twist this year. Matching with its pink dhotar is a typical pink Kolhapuri pheta. “Every year we choose the pheta as Bappa’s headgear. Last year we had a triangular pheta in orange colour and this year it’s a round pink one. The colour and shape of the phetas we use changes every year,” informed Anand Mayne, member of the mandal.
Jiretop
The Bankar Talim Sangh’s Ganpati idol undergoes makeovers throughout the 10 day festival. In keeping with the current flavour of the season, the mandal has decided to give a Lord Khandoba look to the idol during immersion. “When the idol is given the look of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the jiretop is used. We dress the idol up in getups of popular people,” said Prajwal Bankar, member of the mandal.
Nehru Topi
Many mandals like to give a complete makeover to their Ganpati idols during the celebrations. In doing so, one headgear that has found many takers is the Nehru Topi. “It is simple and doesn’t require a lot of decoration,” said Monish Mohite, president of Shardul Mitra Mandal. The mandal is among the few that experiments with different avatars of Ganpati including a Sai Baba and Tanaji Malusare avatar.
Mahadji Shinde and Puneri Pagdis
The owners of Sai Phetewale shop near Tamboli Masjid are probably the busiest people during the festival. “We are called to tie phetas at various Ganpati mandals not just in Pune but in Mumbai, Kolhapur and Sangli as well,” informed Ajaj Rangrej, one of the owners. The shop is famous for its varied pagdi and pheta designs. “The Malhar pagdi is without doubt the most sold headgear this year. Similarly, the traditional favourites like Mahadji Shinde pagdi and Puneri pagdi are also in demand,” added Irfan Rangrej. The shop sold a 52 inch Malhar pagdi to a Ganpati mandal, in Bhosari recently.