VADODARA: Every year during Ganesh Chaturti, the city police are on their toes to thwart communal clashes that erupt especially on the day of Visarjan. Sparks often fly when processions pass through communally sensitive areas, resulting in bad blood between the communities. This animosity may be a truth for some years now, but the fact also remains that the pioneer of sarvajanik (public) Ganpati festival in Sanskarinagari was none other than a Muslim man, that too when he was 107 years old.Jumma Dada , a famed wrestler in the erstwhile Baroda state, had initiated Ganesh festival at his ‘akhada’ way back in 1901with an aim to foster the spirit of national integration and patriotism.“Jumma Dada was inspired by freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak to start sarvajanik Ganesh festival in the city. Tilak regularly visited Baroda to meet Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III . He learnt about Jumma Dada and his activities and decided to meet him,” said Rajendra Harpale, managing trustee of Prof Manekrao’s Jumma Dada Vyayam Mandir.Jumma Dada had established the Vyayam Mandir in mid-19th century and registered it in 1880. His akhaada was very popular among boys and girls and therefore Tilak gave him the idea of organizing public Ganesh festival at the Vyayam Mandir. The idea was to bring youngsters together and instill a sense of patriotism among them along with celebrations.Jumma Dada then installed an idol of Ganesh in the Vyayam Mandir in 1901. “The idol was made of clay and we have continued with the same looks and size till date,” Harpale added.The pamphlets produced by Harpale show how several programmes, including sword fights, wrestling, mal-khamb and physical exercises were organized during the Ganesh festival in the akhada.Historian and art curator Chandrashekhar Patil said some temples and mandals in the city organized Ganesha festival. “But the one initiated by Jumma Dada was the first public Ganesha festival that engaged people on a mass scale to bring about unity and make them patriotic,” Patil said.Another historian Dr Damodar Nene said, “Jumma Dada did start public Ganesha festival at his akhada in 1901, but it was his disciple Prof Manekrao who continued with this initiative.”

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