16 October,2026 09:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sangli’s Morya Ganesh Mandal wins first prize at Maharashtra’s Best Public Ganeshotsav Mandal Competition 2026.
Morya Ganesh Mandal from Yedenipani in Sangli district has won first place in the state-level category of the Maharashtra government's Best Public Ganeshotsav Mandal Competition 2026. Maharashtra Mandal in Hong Kong topped the international category, while Maharashtra Samaj Seva Samiti in Dehradun won the national-level award.
Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar presented the awards and certificates to the winning mandals at a ceremony held at Ravindra Natya Mandir in Prabhadevi on Friday.
Chhatrapati Public Ganesh Mandal, Deepnagar, in Nanded district secured second place in the state-level category, while Swarajya Ganesh Mandal, Devanandra, in Parbhani district finished third.
Rajan Vishnu Patkar received the first-ever âWeling-Khatu Ganesh Idol Maker' award, introduced as part of this year's competition.
Shelar said the state government was working to secure global heritage recognition for Ganeshotsav and was pursuing its inclusion in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The festival's reach has been expanded to the taluka level, while traditions, stories and cultural features associated with Ganeshotsav celebrations in India and abroad will be documented on the Bappa.org platform, he said.
At the international level, Maharashtra Mandal in Hong Kong secured first place. The Edogawa India Culture Centre in Tokyo, Japan, came second, while Hessen Indian Ladies Association and Pioneer Indians e.V. in Germany finished third.
At the national level, Maharashtra Samaj Seva Samiti, Dehradun, won first place, followed by Shri Ram Yuvak Mandal, Belagavi, and Ganraya Ganesh Utsav Mandal, Gujarat.
In Mumbai City district, Panchganga Public Utsav Mandal won first place, followed by Shri Hanuman Seva Mandal and Shivaji Park Public Ganeshotsav Mandal.
In Mumbai Suburban district, Swaprakshya Mitra Mandal Public Ganeshotsav, Model Town, Andheri West, secured first place. Balmitra Kala Mandal - Vikhroli Cha Moraya came second, while BEST Nagar Ganeshotsav Mandal, Borivli, finished third.
In Thane district, Swarajya Pandit Nana Mitra Mandal, Bhiwandi, secured first place, followed by Chintamani Public Ganesh Utsav Mandal, Vashi, and Shri Motha Ganpati Ganeshotsav Mandal, Murbad.
The selection process, held between September 14 and 25, recommended 141 Ganeshotsav mandals across categories. These included three each at the international, national and state levels, 94 at the district level and 38 at the taluka level.
The competition also recognised mandals across the districts of Konkan, western Maharashtra, North Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha.
The ceremony also saw the launch of devotional songs dedicated to the Goddess, written by lyricist Prahlad Jadhav, sung by Sampada Mane and composed by Kaushal Inamdar.
Minal Joglekar, director of the PL Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy; Nanda Raut, Deputy Secretary of the Cultural Affairs Department; music composer Kaushal Inamdar; and Maithili Kale were among those present.
