PUNE: Assam Rifles Director General Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, who visited Pune’s Shreemant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal during the ongoing Ganpati festival on Sunday, urged youngsters to stay connected to their cultural roots and consider joining the armed forces.Lt Gen Lakhera offered prayers and performed aarti at the historic mandal, which pioneered the public community celebration of Ganesh festival in India in 1892.Addressing devotees after the maha aarti, he said the mandal’s history and cultural legacy held an important message for the younger generation.“Do not forget your culture. Your greatest strength is your culture. Your history will determine your future. Stay connected to your roots,” he said.Highlighting the association of the public Ganesh festival with India’s freedom movement, Lakhera said the tradition had begun at a time when the country was under British rule.“When this idol was made, we were slaves of the British. This was the first Ganpati; Ganpati (public celebration) began from here. The biggest inspiration from this is that the nation is supreme,” he said.Lakhera also encouraged youngsters to explore a career in the armed forces.“You come, try, work hard, and join the Army. The Army of the country belongs to the people of the country,” he said.Speaking about his visit to the historic shrine, the Assam Rifles DG said he was overwhelmed by the opportunity to offer prayers there.“The feeling is the same as that of a devotee. I am an ordinary human being, and for anyone who gets an opportunity to come to the house of God, it is an extraordinary occasion. I am overwhelmed. I thank God for giving me this opportunity,” he said.Lakhera also prayed for the country’s progress, security and prosperity.“My only feeling is that our country should progress, our country should remain safe, our country should become stronger, and all the people of our country should prosper,” he said.After the maha aarti, the mandal felicitated Lakhera. He also felicitated festival chief Punit Balan and appreciated his efforts to preserve and promote the cultural and historical legacy of the Shreemant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Mandal and the traditional character of the festival.
