Pune: More than 35,000 women gathered before dawn outside the Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganapati Trust pandal for the annual Atharvashirsha recital on Rushi Panchami on Tuesday, turning the area into a sea of traditional attire and devotional chants.The recital, organised by the Trust and Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal, marked its 41st year.The programme began with conch-blowing, followed by the chanting of Omkar and a rendition of a devotional song. The women then recited the Atharvashirsha at the Prem Mandir-themed pandal. The gathering concluded with an aarti, as chants of “Morya Morya Dagdusheth Morya” echoed through the area.Attendees travelled from Mumbai, Satara, Kolhapur, Latur and other cities to participate in the annual gathering.Pune mayor Manjusha Nagpure, divisional commissioner Sheetal Teli-Ugale, Trust president Sunil Rasane, treasurer Mahesh Suryawanshi, along with other office-bearers and volunteers, were present at the gathering. Deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1) Krishikesh Rawale was felicitated during the programme.Nagpure said women’s participation was integral to the celebrations. “A festival is complete when women participate, whether by preparing for it or attending it. This gathering has generated strength and energy for the entire city,” she said.The collective recital created a powerful atmosphere, with thousands of voices chanting the Atharvashirsha in unison. For the organisers, the event also marked the continuation of a tradition that has brought women together during Ganeshotsav for more than four decades.
