The apex body of Maharashtrians in Jamshedpur Maharashtra Hitkari Mandal located in Bistupur is celebrating 100 years of its existence in Jamshedpur.
To celebrate the occasion, the members of the Maharashtra Hitkari Mandal added six air conditioned room in its premises in Bistupur to let visitors avail an affordable stay in the city. Nitin Madan Kulkarni, secretary, department of agriculture and sugarcane development inaugurated the new facilities.
The Maharashtra Hitkari Mandal has a glorious past. It started functioning from 1916 when people from various parts of Maharashtra mainly Mumbai migrated to Jamshedpur for working at Tata Steel (then Tisco). The people in their efforts to maintain culture and tradition started the organisation. Before the formation of the Mandal, the Maharashtrians started Ganesh Puja in 1913 which has already completed its 100 years in 2013. In 1980, the Maharashtra Hitkari Mandal started its canteen service to generate revenue.
The present building of the Maharashtra Hitkari Mandal came up in 1950. The building had dormitories and some rooms. However, keeping in mind about many visitors, the committee decided to renovate some of its rooms to add provide better services to the visitors. The ground-breaking ceremony was completed about a year and a half ago by Kulkarni himself. The new section of the building has been built at a cost of Rs 80 lakh.
" A new chapter has been added to the glorious past. This new facility is a part of our centenary celebrations. It is not everyday that a community organization completes 100 years but we are proud that we have been able to take rice past. In fact, the Maharashtrian community is the second minority group in the steel city after Zororashtrian families," said Ravindra Sathaye, the vice-president of Maharashtra Hitkari Mandal.
The members have tentatively decided to keep it around Rs 2000 (for double bed) including complimentary breakfast and dinner. "Though there was a dormitory and a couple of rooms that needed renovation. That was the reason why we decided come up with the new rooms. Anybody who visits Jamshedpur and need a good room in a place like Bistupur are welcome. It is not only restricted to the Mandal," added Sathaye.
Maharashtra Hitkari Mandal was officially constituted in 1916. Before the outfit was allotted an office on Q. Road in 1920, the Ganesh puja was held at the house of one or the other of its members. later, the outfit shifted to its current location on K Road, where the puja is organised now.