Pune Inaugurates Global Ganesh Festival to Boost Religious Tourism and International Appeal

Pune has launched its first-ever Global Ganesh Festival with ambitious initiatives aimed at promoting religious tourism, attracting global visitors, and elevating the city's cultural prominence. The event, which began yesterday, also featured the Global Ganesh Summit and was marked by significant international youth participation.

Prominent attendees included African students Trish and Troba, German student Lotaya, alongside key figures such as Dr. Raghunath Kuchik, Dr. Satish Desai, Vaibhav Wagh, Ramnath Sonawane, Mahesh Suryawanshi, Shirish Mohite, Uday Jagtap, Adv. Anish Padekar, and others. Discussions at the summit focused on how the Global Ganeshotsav can contribute to Pune’s economy through religious tourism.

Topics covered included the rise of solo travel to the festival, the potential for growing Global Ganesha tourism, and the role of the Morya Helpline, aimed at assisting international visitors. Educational institutions and the Rotary Club were also encouraged to play an active role in supporting the festival.

Vaibhav Wagh highlighted that while Ganeshotsav surpasses many global festivals in scale, "it still lacks international recognition." He expressed that the Global Ganesh Festival aims to draw foreign tourists, create jobs, and globally promote the traditional Ganeshotsav. This year’s focus includes attracting more international visitors, fostering collaborations between Pune-based and international Ganesh Mandals, and organizing global competitions.

Dr. Satish Desai emphasized the need for cooperation between local and international organizers, while Bharat Desadla remarked that Pune's Ganeshotsav is "on the verge of gaining global prominence." Mahesh Suryawanshi pointed out the need for infrastructure development to support religious tourism, and Yogesh Alekari shared his insights on how international tourists could enhance their experience with the right resources.

Additionally, the introduction of the Morya Helpline was announced by Uday Jagtap, who confirmed that the service will provide support to tourists visiting religious landmarks across Pune.