With Ganeshotsav just weeks away, a fresh row has broken out in Pune over blaring DJ systems and loudspeakers at festival events. Residents have been pushing back against the ear-splitting music, and a state minister has now added her voice to the demand for change.
Misal wants DJ systems banned outright
Maharashtra's Minister of State for Social Justice and Urban Development, Madhuri Misal, laid out her position in a video message released on Monday. She said she is completely opposed to the use of DJ systems at festivals and believes every religious and public celebration, including Ganeshotsav, should instead rely on traditional instruments. According to her, loud music causes real hardship for ordinary people, and the impact falls hardest on students, senior citizens and the sick, who all need a quieter environment.
Dhol and tasha over deafening speakers
Misal argued that Ganeshotsav is tied to Maharashtra's cultural identity and deserves to be celebrated in its traditional form. She said instruments such as the dhol and tasha are more than capable of keeping the festive spirit alive, which means there is no real need for high-decibel DJ systems at all.
Clarifying she isn't against the festival itself
Anticipating pushback, the minister stressed that opposing DJ systems is not the same as opposing festivals. She alleged that some people were deliberately twisting the issue to make it look like an attempt to curb festivities altogether. Misal said there is no reason for Ganeshotsav's grand tradition or its enthusiasm to be diminished, and that it should instead be celebrated in a disciplined, traditional manner so that nobody is inconvenienced.
Pune's 32 Ganesh mandals already set an example
To back her argument, Misal pointed to 32 Ganesh mandals in Pune that recently held their Dahi Handi celebrations entirely without DJ systems, relying only on traditional instruments throughout the event. She said this shows festivities can be just as lively without deafening speakers. She added that she hopes people in Pune will carry this same approach into the upcoming Ganeshotsav and set an example for the rest of Maharashtra.
