Maharashtra Govt Announces Statewide Ganesh Mandal Contest With ₹5 Lakh Top Prize
Maharashtra Declares 'Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav' as State Festival, Vows to Fund Grand Statewide Celebrations
Pune, July 18, 2025: The Cultural Affairs Department and P. L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy have announced the “Maharashtra State Best Public Ganesh Mandal Competition 2025” for registered organizations and licensed public Ganesh mandals. Applications for the competition can be submitted online from July 20 to August 20, 2025.
Participation is free of cost. The competition aims to recognize and encourage initiatives such as organizing cultural programs, preserving and promoting heritage and forts, creating awareness about national and state monuments, environmental conservation through eco-friendly idols and decorations, noise-free celebrations, and social welfare activities. Mandals will be evaluated based on these criteria.
During the Ganesh festival starting August 27, district-level committees formed by respective District Collector offices will visit and assess participating mandals. Recommendations from these assessments will be forwarded for the state-level evaluation. Three mandals each from Pune, Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, and Thane districts, and one from each remaining district will be shortlisted, totaling 44 entries for the state-level round.
Applications are to be submitted through the online portal available on the Academy’s website. For more information, mandals are advised to contact their District Collector’s office, said Meenal Joglekar, Director of the Academy, in a press release.
Ashish Shelar, Minister of Cultural Affairs, Maharashtra, said: “At the state-level, the top three winners will receive ₹5 lakh, ₹2.5 lakh, and ₹1 lakh respectively, along with certificates. District-level first-place winners will receive ₹25,000 and certificates. Mandals are encouraged to participate in large numbers.”
