Archive · 14 Sep 2026
Women’s Ganeshotsav Atharvashirsha Ritual Marks 40 Years in Pune
Every year during Ganeshotsav, thousands of women gather in Pune to pray together.
They recite the Atharvashirsha, a Sanskrit hymn praising Lord Ganesha.
The gathering happens on the second day of the festival.
Some women arrive at the temple as early as 2 am.
By 6 am, more than 30,000 women may be present.
They wear colourful traditional clothing, including nauvari saris and naths.
The event began in 1985 with Arun and Shubhangi Bhalerao.
It has now become a 40-year tradition, with reported attendance reaching about 35,000 or more in recent years.
The women-only Atharvashirsha recitation at Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir has completed 40 years.
The annual ritual takes place on the second day of Ganeshotsav, with women arriving as early as 2 am.
More than 30,000 women were reported at the temple and surrounding roads by 6 am.
Reports describe attendance as around 35,000 last year and over 35,000 in recent times.
The event was started in 1985 by Arun Bhalerao and Shubhangi Bhalerao and is now organized by the trust and Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal.
- Who
- Thousands of women of all ages, with the initiative founded by Arun Bhalerao and Shubhangi Bhalerao.
- What
- A women-only mass recitation of the Atharvashirsha, a Sanskrit hymn to Lord Ganesha.
- When
- On the second day of Ganeshotsav; participants begin arriving during the early hours, sometimes around 2 am.
- Where
- At Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir in Pune and along the road from Mandai to Lal Mahal.
- Why
- To provide a devotional activity and interaction platform for women while celebrating their participation in Indian culture.
- Event
- Women’s Atharvashirsha Pathan, or mass recitation
- Occasion
- Ganeshotsav
- Milestone
- 40 years since the initiative began in 1985
- Attendance
- More than 30,000 by 6 am; reports also cite around 35,000 last year and over 35,000 in recent times
- Venue
- Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir, Pune
- Founders
- Arun Bhalerao and Shubhangi Bhalerao
- Organizers
- The temple trust and Suvarnayug Tarun Mandal
