Pune: The internet is busy rediscovering the 1980s, from its fashion, tapes and vinyl records to its music and movies. But Kasba Peth, the oldest part of Pune, is travelling much further back.Ganeshotsav begins on Monday and Shri Hanuman Mandir Pratishthan in a lane in Kasba Peth has chosen to turn the clock back. It has recreated ‘Punavdi’ where wadas, traditional occupations, Mutha’s ghats and community life are coming back to life.Art director Girish Kolapkar, who planned the theme, said that instead of recreating a familiar mythological scene, the mandal’s centenary-year tableau takes visitors into the social and cultural landscape of old Pune.Spread across an approximately 150 ft by 250 ft area, the life-size presentation brings together a traditional village entrance, a chavdi, wada-style lanes, a river ghat, a temple and a representation of the first girls’ school. “Traditional occupations and communities, including tamhan, shimpi and kumbhar communities, will also find a place in the setting,” Kolapkar said.The mandal’s working president Pankaj Undale said they wanted to remind people that Pune began as Punavdi, a small settlement, and to present that history in a way that younger generations could see rather than merely read about. “We want to show what old Pune was like and how the wada culture and traditional community life were part of the city,” he said.The setting has been created with the cooperation of the lane’s residents and establishments. “Rather than dismantling or hiding the existing character of the area, the organisers explained their concept to the residents, who readily agreed to participate,” Kolapkar said.The retro spirit is not restricted to the tableau. It reflects the mandal’s larger approach to the festival. For nearly 10-15 years, the organisers have stayed away from DJ-based celebrations, choosing instead to retain traditional forms of music and the immersion procession. The mandal had a band tradition several decades ago, but after 2004, it gradually dropped such practices.“Even the younger members of our mandal feel that the festival should be celebrated traditionally,” Undale said. The Rs 35 lakh tableau has been funded through the mandal’s contributions and advertisers, rather than vargani (fundraising). The centenary celebrations also extend beyond the 12 days of Ganeshotsav this time.The mandal has a year-round record of educational, healthcare and community initiatives which include paying the SSC examination fees for needy students, collecting and distributing books to institutions and libraries, supporting schools with painting and maintenance work, and helping with major medical procedures. An ambulance is available for five days during the festival.
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