Pune: On the occasion of Holi, the Grape Festival (Draksha Mahotsav) was celebrated at the famous Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir in Pune Friday. The temple was adorned with 2,000 kg of chemical-free grapes supplied by Sahyadri Farms, Nashik. The Draksha Festival is an annual event at the temple, celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Every year, the temple premises are decked out with 2,000 kg of black and green grapes—a mesmerizing sight for devotees. A video showcasing the beautiful decorations has gone viral on social media and was shared by the handle @ThePuneMirror.
🍃🍇🍇द्राक्ष महोत्सव🍇🍇🍃
श्रीमंत दगडूशेठ हलवाई गणपती बाप्पांना सह्याद्री फार्म्सतर्फे २ हजार किलो द्राक्षांची आरास!सर्व भाविकांनी दर्शनाचा आवर्जून लाभ घ्यावा.#shrimant #dagdushethhalwaiganpati #shrimantmoraya #shrimantdagdusheth #dagdusheth #dagdushethganpati #pune pic.twitter.com/WRMGRSBptY
— Shrimant Dagdusheth Ganpati (@DagdushethG) March 14, 2025
The grapes are also distributed among various institutions, such as Sassoon General Hospital and Pitashree Old Age Home, as well as among devotees seeking Bappa’s blessings.
Also present at the event were Trust Vice Presidents Manik Chavan and Balasaheb Paranjape, Treasurer Mahesh Suryavanshi, General Secretary Hemant Rasane, Festival Chief Akshay Godse, Joint Secretary Amol Kedari, President of Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal Prakash Chavan, Chairman and Managing Director of Sahyadri Farms Vilas Shinde, and other office bearers of Sahyadri Farms.
Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple is over 130 years old. According to temple officials, idol of Lord Ganesha was installed by Dagdusheth Halwai and his wife, Lakshmibai, after their only son died in a plague epidemic, which is why the temple is named in his honour.
