Celebrating its 98th year, the mandal traditionally marks the beginning of its Ganeshotsav preparations with Padya Pujan, a sacred ritual involving the ceremonial washing and worship of the deity's feet. The ceremony formally inaugurates the festivities and reflects the devotion that has defined the mandal's legacy for nearly a century

The early morning rituals were conducted by the Mayor along with her husband, Rajesh Tawde, amid Vedic chants and devotional renditions of "Jnaneshwar-Tukaram", as hundreds of devotees gathered at the temple