RECAP - Small Business and LampPost Meetup in Pune

[TusharSuradkar]

Local Guides in India gathered with great enthusiasm and festive spirit at the Vitthal Temple in Pune for the small business meetup on 6 October 2024

Here’s the banner designed by Tushar Suradkar, the host of the meetup.

Small Business logo design by @MerlinThomas

India Local Guides logo design by @Shubhu1

The meetup started with first taking darshan and walking around the temple for the parikrama.

This is a 16th Century temple located on the banks of River Mutha that flows through the heart of Pune city.

Local Guides had their first round of tea and immediately started the decoration of the Deep Maal or Deep Mala or Deep Stambh or simply the Lamp Post.

@GirishPidadi travelled with family by car for 770 km to attend the meetup.

That was 10 hour driving for seven hundred seventy kilometers with breaks

Salute to the spirit of Girish and family - your presence was a great delight and honor for everyone at the meetup

After the Lamp Post lighting ceremony, we moved to support the next business, Sanskruti Kadhi Samosa.

After this Merlin Thomas presented a gift, a cool organizer, to the previous meetup trivia winner, @SaurabhShelot

Congratulations! Saurabh

Tushar Suradkar presented the winner Saurabh Shelot a certificate

After that we had another round of Kadhi Kachori and more Tea

@NERKARAMIT and Tushar Suradkar shared new stickers, badges and cards to all local guides.

Everyone signed the souvenir card as a memory of the meetup.

The winner of the trivia quiz was @AjitThite in this meetup.

Amit presented him a special sticker.

On the right is Merlin’s answer sheet with a score of 13/16

Ajit scored a perfect 16/16

Congratulations! Ajit

Answer sheet designed by Shubham Waman.

Nice job Shubham

After this, local guides who had hosted a meetup and attended 5 meetups in person, got a cool bottle as gift from the sponsors.

This bottle has the permitted logo, and the text India Local Guides printed on it.

All local guides who got the bottle were very happy.

After this Ajit Thite educated the small business owner about Google Maps and encouraged him to add his small business to Google Maps.

I talked with the owner of the small business and educated him about the Google SMB environment.

We stuck the sticker designed and printed by Tushar Suradkar on their glass showcase to remind him about Google for Small Business.

Many local guides from all over India joined the meetup virtually on Google Meet hosted by Tushar Suradkar.

The 3rd business we supported was a small flower shop owner near the temple.

Attendees at the meetup:

1. Tushar Suradkar (Host)

2. Ajit Thite

3. Shubham Waman

4. Amit Nerkar

5. Saurabh Shelot

6. Merlin Thomas

7. Nithin Thomas

8. Sushrut

9. Girish Pidadi

10. Mrs. Girish Pidadi

11. Grandma Pidadi Ajji

12. Master Pidadi

Local Guides in India are meeting next as below:

Food walk and Support Small Business in Karvenagar, Pune - hosted by Shubham Waman
Diwali Festival Bazaar Walk at Sahakar Nagar, Pune - hosted by Ajit Thite

Until then… keep supporting small business

Questions asked at the meetup:

1. For which topic was Ajit Thite featured?
   A. Accessibility
   B. Small Business
   C. Food and Drink

2. Which place did Ajit Thite explored recently in Delhi?
   A. Hauz Khas
   B. Red Fort
   C. Qutub Minar

3. Which cave did Saurabh explore recently?
   A. Karla
   B. Ellora
   C. Ajanta

4. Which sport World Day did Tushar Suradkar write a featured post on?
   A. Cricket
   B. Baseball
   C. Mini Golf

5. Which drink did Ravi Sharma wrote a featured post on?
   A. Coffee
   B. Mojito
   C. Kulhad Chai

6. Which ice cream parlor did Supriya Devkar visit?
   A. Polar Cat
   B. Polar Bear
   C. Polar Fox

7. Which Paan Shop in Delhi did Merlin visit?
   A. Tiwari
   B. Dubey
   C. Pandey

8. Where is Shubham Waman hosting his 1st meetup?
   A. Tilak Road
   B. Bajirao Road
   C. Karve Road

9. In which mall did Ajit Thite host a meetup for local artists?
   A. Abhiruchi
   B. WestEnd
   C. Pavilion

10. In which museum was the last meetup hosted in Pune?
    A. Kelkar Museum
    B. RK Laxman Museum
    C. Mahatma Phule Museum

11. TravellerG mentioned in his post about Kozhikode is also known as?
    A. City of spices
    B. City of lakes
    C. City of beaches

12. Tushar dada added a new clock tower which is located on
    A. Church
    B. Gurdwara
    C. Temple

13. In which city was the Contributors Conversation program hosted?
    A. New Delhi
    B. Central Delhi
    C. Gurugram

14. Total How many Connect Moderators are from India?
    A. 4
    B. 6
    C. 8

15. In Delhi, where did Ajit Thite host a meetup to support local business?
    A. Janpath market
    B. Haus Khas market
    C. Chandani Chowk

16. Ravi Sharma, local guide from Patna, posted about which Tea?
    A. Darjeeling Tea
    B. Irani Tea
    C. Kullad Tea

[SaurabhShelot]

Thank you so much dear @TusharSuradkar for the nice gesture. It was really wonderful by attending this meetup. And congratulations to @AjitThite for winning a Trivia Quiz by scored 16/16

[abhishekpatk]

Thank you @TusharSuradkar for sharing this amazing recap. Nice photos.

Congratulations @AjitThite for winning the quiz.

[GirishPidadi]

@TusharSuradkar Thanks for a beautiful gesture blending tradition and support for local business, the Maharashtra Local Guide illuminated the deep stambh at Vitthal Mandir, Aundh Gaon, Pune, today. This act, just before Dussehra and Diwali, symbolizes the festive season’s onset while highlighting the importance of small businesses in preserving age-old traditions. The flickering lights reflect hope and embody unity and prosperity. By lighting the way, the local guide demonstrates how our customs can inspire us to support and cherish our community roots, especially during festive times. Myself & My family members were very

happy to meet all LGs in & @ Pune @ @abhishekpatk @SaurabhShelot @AjitThite Congratulations to all good work by Maharashtra LGs

[TravellerG]

Wow…a RECAP presented so fast…

Congratulations!

Very well conceived and published, dear @TusharSuradkar

The photos are really impressive and contextual… beautiful too.

The group photo with the LampPost in the background is my choice.

Thanks for sharing these details…

[Gurukrishnapriya]

That’s a great meetup and quiz @TusharSuradkar and thank you very much for hosting this meetup here.

I have read about the Temple in this Community. I think your post only, I don’t exactly remember. Reading that post itself I felt I should visit that Temple. Felt very very happy to the lighting of Lamps, that too during Navratri is really something special. You are doing a great job. Wishing you many more meetups. Thanks again.

[Annaelisa]

Ein top Banner von euch allen vor dem Laternenpfahl @TusharSuradkar

Danke für die hervorragende Zusammenfassung zu eurem Treffen.

Alle Bilder sind wunderbar.

[SaurabhShelot]

@GirishPidadi I was glad to meet you, and thank you so much for attending the meetup by travelling from Nagpur.

[ShubhamWaman]

Excellent Recap @TusharSuradkar dada.

I loved this Meetup of Lightning DeepStambh.

We should follow our Tradition to doing such more things in future.

Congratulations @AjitThite dada For Winning Trivia.

The Certificate is very Well Design dada.

Thank you so much for attending meetup @GirishPidadi .

[Radhika26]

Nice to read the recap. Had joined this meet up virtually. Thank you @TusharSuradkar for sharing a wonderful write up.

[KamalHossenR]

A huge shoutout to Girish Pidadi and his family for their incredible dedication, traveling 770 km to attend the meetup, it’s truly inspiring. A big congratulations to Ajit Thite for his perfect quiz score and to all the Local Guides who received the cool bottle gifts. Special thanks to everyone for their efforts in supporting small businesses, especially Thanks to @AjitThite and @TusharSuradkar for educating and promoting Google Maps for SMB.

[SaylliWalve1]

Amazing Recap @TusharSuradkar Daa,

The lamp post looks amazingly beautiful after lightning

Congratulations @AjitThite Daa for winning the trivia with full score

The answers sheet reminded me of AIEEE exam @ShubhamWaman , feels like we are bringing back the memories of exam (Kidding )

[TusharSuradkar]

You are welcomed dear @SaurabhShelot

It is always a pleasure to meet you at the meetups

Next time bring along your friends to the meetup in Pune - It is a grand Maharashtra Level Diwali Bonanza - on 20 October - Sunday.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation, dear @abhishekpatk

I had kept the venue in Aundh Gaon to facilitate travel for you and Amit

We missed you a lot.

Please prepare to attend the grand, sponsored Maharashtra Mega meetup on 20 October - Sunday

You have to attend with family

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you immensely dear @GirishPidadi Ji for your auspicious presence at the meetup

I am beyond words to thank you for taking the time to meet everyone.

Please prepare to attend the grand sponsored Maharashtra Mega meetup on 20 October - Sunday

It is very close to Balewadi High Street - within walking distance.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation, @TravellerG

The group photo was taken by new local guide Sushrut who is an accomplished photographer.

I wish you meet him someday

I invite you to travel to Pune for the sponsored Maharashtra Mega meetup on 20 October - Sunday.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the kind appreciation @Gurukrishnapriya

Yes, you remember this temple correctly

I visited here for an accessibility meetup last year:

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Accessible-Pune-Meetup-43-in-the-Vitthal-Rukhmini-Temple/m-p/3579250

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation @Annaelisa

The banner group photo has come out very nice.

It was taken by an expert photographer local guide using his iPhone.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you, dear @ShubhamWaman for the appreciation.

You were the real hero of the meetup.

I was busy in the online meetup so could not see you climbing up the lamp post to install the Diyas.

This is something I loved to do many years ago.

Next time again, we will have a meetup at a temple with lamp post

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation and for attending the meetup online @Radhika26 Ji

Gope you are able to visit the wonderful temple in the future soon