The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the state government to clarify by placing on record documents to indicate whether sarvajanik (community) Ganpati festival in Pune was started in 1892 by Srimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganapati Trust or by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893.
The High Court order came while admitting a petition filed by the Trust, seeking directive to the Maharashtra government and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to celebrate the sarvajanik Ganesh festival 2017 as the 126th year of sarvajanik Ganesh festival instead of the 125th year. The petition claimed that a notification issued by State Ministry of Culture and PMC, declaring 2017 as the 125th year of the festival, is incorrect.
A division bench of Justices Anoop Mohta and Bharati Dangre asked the state government to file its reply by September 6.
Relying on various records, the Trust, which is one of the oldest Ganesh mandals, wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Culture Minister Vinod Tawde, and other authorities, informing that the 125th year of Sarvajanik Ganesh Festival was in 2016, and 2017 will be its 126th year. However, the civic body issued a circular stating that the festival was started by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893.
Appearing for the trust, advocate Milind Pawar, said, "The Diamond Jubilee celebration of the festival was in 1892. The 100th anniversary was celebrated in 1991. It is the 125th year that is to be celebrated next, considering the beginning year as 1892. The government is either misleading the people or merely making a publicity stunt at the cost of changing history."
Meanwhile, the members of the trust called off their hunger strike in Pune after the court issued the directive.
The PMC is celebrating 125 years of the festival, which had originally started in the city.
Suraj Renuse, one of the trustees of Bhausaheb Rangari mandal said, "We are not against Lokmanya Tilak. We accept his contributions to the promotion of Ganesh festival. However, he was not the pioneer. The Pune civic administration and some politicians are deliberately trying to take away the credit that Bhausaheb Rangari rightfully deserves."
In its petition, the trust states that in 1892, celebrations in Pune took place with the installation of three Ganpatis — the first at Bhau Rangari's residence, the second at Ganpatrao Ghotavdekar's home, while Sardar Nanasaheb Khasgiwale installed the third at his house.
The idea of Bhau Lakshman Javale, fondly known as Bhau Rangari, was to connect people across class and caste lines. A special note of this was made by Tilak, in an editorial in his 'Kesari' newspaper on September 26, 1893, states the petition.
Renuse claimed that during a meeting, Pune mayor Mukta Tilak, who is from the Tilak family, accepted Tilak was not the pioneer of Sarvajanik ganeshotsav. "However, no one in authority wants to say that in public," he noted.
"On Wednesday, MP Sambhaji Raje met the members on hunger strike and appealed to call off the strike. We have called it off, but our legal battle will continue," Renuse said.
Trust members have also filed a complaint in Vishrambaug police station, claiming they received a threat letter.
A WAR OVER YEAR
- State Ministry of Culture and PMC declared 2017 as 125th year of Ganeshotsav.
- Both consider that the festival was started by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893.
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