400 Foreign Ganpati in Pune

Akash Kharade
@npnews24x7

Lord Ganesh is not just diety of Maharashtra but is a god of the world, this is a proven fact. As such roots of god presence reflect the globe.

As Pune based resident who into a formation of gaining information about Lord Ganesha and started collecting such different and unique idol later transformed such interest in the hobby.

This is none other than Devdatta Aangal (79), a resident of Gokhale Nagar, Pune, who was following his hobby has come up with an exhibition of more than 700 Foreign Ganesh Idols. More than six decades he is into collections of such idols.

[amazon_link asins=’B071HWTHPH,B01DDP7D6W,B0756Z43QS,B0756Z53JN,B077PWBC7J,B0784D7NFX,B0756RF9KY,B078BNQ313,B01FM7GGFI’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’policenama100-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’6312b5c1-b813-11e8-88b7-7f7d39a770c3′]
Some of these Ganesh Idols are from outside India as well. Yes ! you read that right.

Devdatta has collected more than 700 Ganesh Idols from all over the world. These idols are made up of various elements right from stones, wood, silver to copper.

Its hard work of his for 45 years to collect all these beautiful idols.

While talking with NPNews24, Devdatta recalled, “ I had the hobby of collecting the coins of different countries which later I realized it’s quite common. All of a sudden I found different kinds of Ganesh Idol and that drove my curiosity. Then I thought of collecting the Ganesh Idol. I have Ganesh Idols from South East Asia. I have some idols from China as well.”

[amazon_link asins=’B07FCMHLQY,B01J18NO6S,B07GZVL8BH,B01IFR8Z10,B0136M2I8U,B0711G6N7M’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’policenama100-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’915e5d68-b813-11e8-b683-6f028a0af858′]

In this collection, he also has a Ganesh Idol which is balancing on one hand as if he is doing push-ups.

A Ganesh Idol holding a hammer, this idol is from Myanmar. He has a Ganesh Idol which has eight hands this idol is from Nepal.

Some idols also have three heads. Some idols from Thailand as well.

He said, “There are Ganesh Idols and Ganesh Devotees all over the world. Many friends of mine have helped me to make this collection this huge and this diverse. Some of the Idols are even 1000 years old. I have taken a lot of efforts for this collection but more than I feel that Lord Ganesh has made a this possible through me.” He added. One interesting fact about this is he has an Indonesian currency which has Ganpati’s photo on it. This currency is of 1998. Even though Indonesian is Muslim country it has a currency which had a photo of Hindu God.

He added, “I want to keep this collection in Pune only as this is the birthplace of Ganesh Utsav and this my way of celebration of the Utsav.”

If plan to check Devdatta collection all you need is to rush to ‘Balgandharv Kala Manch’ and visit it.