THE Ganesh Tekadi now has an elevated status. The Government of Maharashtra has granted the place ‘A’ Category elevation as a tourist attraction. The little hillock that has been hosting the Ganesh Mandir for godknows-how-many years will start attracting more devotees -- and tourists. The temple is now a beautifully architectured place of worship and prayer, and the entire complex assumes a shining look complete with smart attractive, smart lighting. The sanctum sanctorum, too, has been made to wear a new look, complete with chandelliers and bright lighting. By any standard, this is a welcome change -- for the Nagpurians and for the countless lakhs of devotees who converge on the place every now and then -- from all over the region.

 

The Ganesh Mandir has often occupied the highest place in their devotional map. The temple committee took quite some time to achieve the current make-over of the Ganesh Temple complex. It worked hard to raise the money, to make the architects and designers carve out an attractive temple that now shines in splendour at any moment of the day or the night. The devotees have been waiting for this change to take place. OF COURSE, there are lakhs and lakhs of people in whose mind the old temple -- a tin shade say 40-50 years earlier -- still, occupies a great place of honour. In that place, for decades on end, they sat on the parapet wall lining the temple floor and prayed and sang bhajans and listened to kirtan and went back home with their eyes drooping in devotion.

 

Around the old temple was an open space big enough to allow children play games and devotees to hold ‘langars’ (where anybody could have ‘prasad’) and feel extremely gratified. That open space was dotted by big black boulders that could equal the size of even elephants. Around those boulders -- and occasionally on top of those -- children played and people sat and talked and enjoyed cool times, especially in the evening. Occasional sounds of the military band from the Sitabuldi Fort wafted through the air and pleased one and all. As a child of 4-5-6-7-8-9 years of age, the loosefooter spent a lot of time on the Ganesh Tekadi indulging in pranks -- and getting spanked occasionally. Of course, things were beginning to change and Ganesh Tekadi, too, did not miss the wave of change. Every change was certainly not for the better -- or so the loosefooter thought. No matter that, the devotion people felt for the deity under the tin shade in those good old days many, many years ago did not wane with change.

 

They accepted the change and got going with life as usual. Now, the Ganesh Tekadi has an elevated status, in terms of tourism. Even as the loosefooter accepts this change with grace, he has only one wish to express: May the Ganesh Temple’s original aura be retained through the changing times. The place has a devotional charm -- which must not be lost at any cost. For, the purpose of Ganesh Tekadi is not tourism; it is of the devotion of lakhs of people. Tourism is a secondary purpose, so to say. In the name of tourism, the Ganesh Mandir must not lose its inner glow in favour of the outer glitter. ■