Pune, Sept. 15 -- Devotees turned up in large numbers at the famous Shreemant Dagduseth Halwai Ganpati Mandal in Pune on Monday to offer prayers, as the festive zeal of Ganesh Utsav continued to draw crowds from across the city and beyond.

Long queues of devotees were seen waiting patiently for hours to catch a glimpse of the idol and seek blessings, with many carrying flowers, garlands and offerings as part of the rituals. The atmosphere around the mandal remained charged with devotional chants, drum beats and festive enthusiasm through the day.

Sharing details of the day's programme, a mandal trustee said the celebrations would follow the same traditional format as every year. "The plan is very simple. Just like every year, the tradit...