Mandal hopping on expat club’s to-do list

The Pune Expat Club and Lexagent relocation, are all set to organize the annual Ganesh walk for expats in the city on September 16, 9:30 am onwards. The walk takes the expats Ganpati mandal-hopping across the city while tracing the history and explaining the grandeur and importance of Pune’s heritage. “The Ganesh walk began seven years ago. We get many calls from expats, especially those who have recently settled in the city, to participate in the walk with their families,” said Preeti Roongta, co-founder of Pune Expat Club.

The Pune Expat Club keeps the group limited to 50 members so that it is easy to navigate through the crowd. The tour begins at 9:30 am with the participants assembling at Shaniwarwada. It lasts for around 1.5 to 2 hours. The Ganesh walk will cover the mandals of Kasba Ganpati, Bhau Rangari, Tambdi Jogeshwari, Guruji Talim, Tulshibaug and Dagdusheth. The final destination is the Mandai Ganpati pandal.
Claire Edwards, a UK citizen, has been living in Pune for two years with her husband who works for JCB.
This will be her first Ganesh walk. “I have been in India for two years, but I heard about the walk and saw the photographs this year, after which we decided of joining the walk. As an expat, you become more curious and interested in getting involved in the traditional culture of India,” says Edwards.

For Amanda Cook, another expat from United Kingdom who has been in Pune for six months, the first day of the Ganesh festival, full of colorful processions, and the dhol-tasha music, made her enroll for the Ganesh walk. “I am excited to experience it first hand,” Amanda Cook says.

“Ganeshotsav is the most important festival of Maharashtra and through Ganesh walk, we try to introduce the Indian culture and festivals to Lexagent clients and Pune Expat Club members. We demystify the surprises and help the expats and their families understand the fine nuances of the country, to explore the colorful, fun and celebratory side of our magnificent culture. We are excited to do this every year and it is a thrilling experience to see the interactions of expats with locals, photo opportunities and lifetime memories being created,” says Preeti Roongta, co-founder of Pune Expat Club.