After Dagdusheth, we walked towards Hanumant Babu Genu Mandal where devotees where throwing coin inside the pond.
BABA GENU MANDAL- Google Maps
GV74+P62 Maarne Heights, 1111, opp. Tilak Statue, Tulshibaug, Budhwar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411002
About Baba Genu Ganpati
- Location: Tulshibaug, Budhwar Peth, Pune 411002, near the Tilak statue.
- The mandal is commonly referred to in sources as Hutatma Babu Genu Ganpati/Mandal or Baba Genu.
- Babu Genu refers to Hutatma Babu Genu Said, remembered in Maharashtra for his participation in the Indian independence movement.
- It is part of the historic Ganeshotsav circuit around Tulshibaug, Mandai and Shaniwar Wada. A 2009 account specifically describes the Hutatma Babu Genu Ganesh Mandal’s elaborate pandal and Ganpati installation.
- Contemporary Pune Ganpati guides continue to include Hutatma Babu Genu Ganpati among the prominent mandals to visit.
- Interestingly, a 2025 report notes that miniature replicas of Baba Genu’s Ganpati are also made for Punekars living abroad.
Why is it called Babu Genu?
The mandal is named after Hutatma Babu Genu Said, a young mill worker associated with the Indian freedom movement.
On 12 December 1930, during the Civil Disobedience Movement, Babu Genu protested against the movement of foreign cloth in Bombay. He was fatally run over by a truck while attempting to stop its movement. He was only 22 years old. His death made him a symbol of the Swadeshi and anti-foreign-cloth movement.
Thus, the name “Hutatma Babu Genu Ganpati” connects the Ganeshotsav celebration with the memory of India’s freedom struggle.
Why is it called Navsacha Ganpati?
The mandal is popularly known as Navsacha Ganpati — नवसाचा गणपती, meaning a Ganpati associated with wishes/vows being fulfilled.
A local account says the tradition became associated with the idol after the original sculptor Anantrao Waikar died while the idol was being made. Workers/devotees made a vow that the idol should be completed, and after it was completed the association with Navsacha Ganpati continued.
2026 special attraction — Somnath Temple
For Ganeshotsav 2026, the mandal has recreated the Somnath Temple as its major dekhava.
The Indian Express reported that the set includes the temple’s shikhara, pillars and intricate architectural details, with around 30–40 artisans working continuously for about 25 days. The design was created by the team associated with art director Nitin Desai.
The pandal also incorporates the idea of the sacred water bodies of Somnath, where visitors can participate in the symbolic practice of tossing a coin while making a wish.
Famous for its dekhava
One of the mandal’s distinctive features is its large-scale thematic decorations and temple replicas. It has had a long association with the work of art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai, including elaborate recreations of religious and architectural landmarks.
This makes it particularly interesting for photography and for people doing a Pune Ganpati darshan walk.
Its place in Pune’s Ganpati circuit
An important distinction:
Babu Genu Ganpati is NOT one of Pune’s five Manache Ganpati.
The five Manache Ganpati are:
- Kasba Ganpati
- Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganpati
- Guruji Talim Ganpati
- Tulshibaug Ganpati
- Kesariwada Ganpati
Babu Genu is instead a prominent Sarvajanik Ganpati with its own historical identity and large following.
Its location makes it convenient to combine with Tulshibaug, Dagdusheth, Guruji Talim and Mandai Ganpati during a walking tour of Pune’s old city.
Interesting facts for your Google Maps post
Named after freedom fighter/martyr Babu Genu Said.- Popularly known as Navsacha Ganpati.
Famous for large-scale thematic dekhavas.- Has had a long association with Nitin Desai’s art team.
- 2026 theme: Somnath Temple.
- Located in the historic Budhwar Peth–Tulshibaug area.
It sits within the dense cluster of Pune’s historic Ganpati mandals.
It is a Sarvajanik Ganpati, not one of the Manache 5.- Its name provides a direct connection between Ganeshotsav and India’s freedom movement.
For 2026 specifically, the Somnath Temple recreation is a particularly notable feature: the mandal’s president described the decoration as combining architecture, faith and tradition, while the reported construction involved dozens of artisans working for weeks.
Nearby it was OPERATION SINDHOOR themed mandal with a Silver painted person posing as Mahatma Gandhi.
