Mandai Ganpati

Akhil Mandai Mandal was started in Pune's vegetable market by the wrestler Nathuram Dongre; DNA and Marathi Wikipedia give 1894, while Curly Tales gives 1893. It is known for its Sharada Gajanan idol, which shows the goddess Sharada with Ganesha and has been in use for about 130 years; it is made of paper pulp and cloth. Traders of every community in the market take part, and the mandal has run a subsidised zunka-bhakar meal centre since 1974, along with a free medical camp, scholarships and a book bank.