History of Bappa

1893 - The Beginning:
Eco-friendly Idol

Nanasaheb Priviwale of Pune witnessed the Ganpati festival in Valher, inspiring him to unite society for freedom. He introduced the concept in Pune, initially met with resistance due to the city's conservative reputation. Lokamanya Tilak convened a meeting, inviting Dagdusheth Halwai, the Nagarsheth of Pune, and Mayavars. They decided to celebrate the seven-day Ganpati festival at five city locations, with locals funding it. The response was so positive that Lokamanya Tilak urged the public to join, leading to a ten-day celebration in 1893. Dagdusheth Halwai introduced an environmentally-friendly idol, differing from traditional warrior Ganesha forms. This concept aimed to bless and protect society. Shri Naik crafted this idol, which became the symbol of the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust's Ganesh Utsav.

Statue of 1896

In 1896, a plague hit Pune. Dagdusheth Halwai's son's absence saddened him. After his son's death, Dagdusheth passed away within a few months, leaving his wife and wealth. To address this, their spiritual guru, Shri Madhavnath Maharaj, advised building the Shri Datta Temple in Dagdusheth's name. Dagdusheth's wife, following the guru's guidance, decided to construct the Datta Mandir and had a second Lord Ganesha idol crafted by sculptor Shri Naik.

In 1897, the young people were given this idol to start celebrating the Ganpati Utsav. In 1952, businessmen and youths, including Tatyasaheb Godse and his colleagues Dattoba Chavan, Mamasaheb Rasane, Laxmanrao Jamdade, Gajanan Kedari, Navrtirao Raikar, Balkrishna Jamdade, Shankarao Suryavanshi and Kashinathrao Rasane, took over the festival until 1967. They collected donations and celebrated the Amrit Mahotsav. In 75 years, the idol's arm broke, leading to discussions about replacing it. The broken idol was meticulously repaired and now resides in Ganesh Mandir and Raman in Kondhwa Child Care Center of the Trust.

1968 Ladiwal Murti (Idol)

In 1968, discussions began about making a new Ganesha idol after the Amrit Mahotsav. Dr. Balasaheb Paranjpe suggested Nagesh Shalp, who was skilled in clay sculpture. After obtaining a photo of the old idol, Shankarappa Salpi, known for his Carnatic-style artistry, was tasked with creating a one-meter-tall clay idol. This initial idol was presented to traders in Ali for approval. Following their endorsement, Shankarappa was commissioned to make a larger version.

Shankarappa suggested incorporating a Ganesha Yantra in the idol's belly, in alignment with traditional practices. He performed religious rituals and placed the Yantra on the idol during a solar eclipse at the Mula Mutha river confluence in Pune. This Yantra ritual was maintained for twelve months.

On August 27, 1968, the idol was consecrated in a dignified and scientific manner. Since then, it has adhered to Hindu customs without deviation. This marked the beginning of a new era, as it's uncommon to create clay idols in temples in India.

In 1984, the first Lord Ganesha temple was built near Budhwar Peth. Subsequently, in 2005, a grand temple was established in the same neighbourhood.