Maharashtra Extends Best Public Ganeshotsav Mandal Contest Deadline to Sept 11

The Maharashtra state government has extended the application deadline for the Maharashtra State Best Public Ganeshotsav Mandal Competition 2026 to Friday, September 11, 2026. State Cultural Affairs Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar announced the decision on Sunday in Navi Mumbai, urging public Ganesh mandals to make full use of the extended timeframe.

The state government organised the annual competition to recognise and reward public Ganesh mandals for their active contributions to the festival celebrations. Ganeshotsav has been officially celebrated as the ‘State Festival of Maharashtra’ by the state government since 2025.

This year, the government broadened the scope of the event by introducing separate award categories for public Ganesh mandals located across India as well as those functioning abroad. The extension of the submission window was granted to enable wider participation across these diverse regions.

Applications are being accepted through the official online portal at ganeshotsav.pldmka.co.in. Minister Shelar stated that participating mandals will compete for honours and recognition across multiple administrative tiers, including the taluka, district, state, national, and international levels.

Shelar appealed to mandal organisers across Maharashtra, other states, and foreign countries to complete their online registration and participate in large numbers before the new September 11 deadline expires.