Who among the following started 'Ganeshotsav' in Maharashtra?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — D, Bal Gangadhar Tilak. In 1893, Tilak transformed the private, household worship of Ganesha into a large public festival (Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav) in Poona (Pune). His goal was political: colonial law restricted large political gatherings, but a religious festival was untouchable, so Tilak used it to legally assemble and unite people across caste lines and build nationalist sentiment.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) A leading Extremist of the 'Lal-Bal-Pal' trio and a powerful orator on Swadeshi, but he did not found Ganeshotsav — that was Tilak's initiative in Maharashtra.  (b) Mahadev Govind Ranade was a Moderate social reformer linked to the Prarthana Samaj and the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, not the founder of the public Ganeshotsav.  (c) The 'Punjab Kesari' and the third member of the Lal-Bal-Pal trio, active mainly in Punjab — he had no role in starting the Maharashtra Ganeshotsav.

Concept: Tilak used religious festivals as vehicles for mass political mobilisation. Public Ganeshotsav (1893) turned a household puja into a community event with processions, speeches and cultural programmes, giving Tilak a legal, recurring platform to reach ordinary people at a time when overt political assembly was restricted.

State PCS 2023 Q66 — History PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q66 — History PYQ with Answer