A Glimpse from 1902 to 2002 In 1902 Luximon Gunnoo Shinde travelled to Pandharpur and brought the first idols of Vithoba and Rookmini. The temple was made of a wooden structure and a thatched roof on a piece of land obtained on lease.
Lutchman Raggoo Pawar took the relay after the death of L. Gunnoo. He devoted most of his time and revenue in the renovation of the temple. He bought the land that had been obtained on lease from the sugar estate and another adjacent plot. Gradually, he replaced the old wooden and thatched structure by two domes made of lime and clay. He also built a hall with concrete walls; the roofs were covered with corrugated iron sheets. The compound was then fenced. He then brought the Shiv and Parvatee idols on his way back from India. The society was then incorporated as Marathi Prem Wardhak Mandali, a name given by Pandit Atmaram Vishawanath Tamankar. Raghoji Pawar died in 1938.
After the death of Ragoji Pawar, Mr Seeram Jankoo maintained the Marathi Prem Wardhak Mandali. The latter was a man of great charisma and he became another legend with the history of the society. He had the ability to mobilize the Marathas across the island for religious and cultural festivals. He supplied free of costs bus transport since he was the owner of a bus company known as the “Empereur”. After his sudden death in the early fifties, the society was taken over by Mr Baya Jankoo who donated the plot of land situated at Mgr Leen St, Quatre Bornes where actually is being built the Gokhale Hall by the MPWM.
Mr. B. Jankoo along with other Marathas such as Namdeo and Shankar Bhiwajee, Rama Ittoo, Sadasive Govind, Ramjee Saccaram, Ambajee, Sonoo, Beewa Ladkoo, Giandeo Rao Rama and Bajeeraw Babajee maintained the cultural and social activities of the society.
In 1957, an election took place on legal grounds and Mr Sadev Babajee was elected President of the MPWM. During his terms of office, and with the help of Mr Rama Ittoo, he carried out some works of innovation to the temple. Steel frames replaced the wooden openings. A kitchen as well as a dormitory (now used as a library) was built, together with good toilet facilities.
Mr. Beewa Ladkoo who was a resident of Chamouny, subsequently took the presidency in 1960 and with the help of Mahadeo Gunnoo, Jayram Puddoo and Ramjee Saccaram, altogether they ran the society. Mr. B. Ladkoo had to compromise with the circumstances and he introduced reforms with the help of a team of youngsters in the person of Madan Gunesh, Prem Luximon, Dayanand Bappoo, Babooram Esram and Babooram Gunesh.
Messrs P.Luximon, B.Esram, I.Govinda, and B. Gunesh took over as president of the association in turns. In 1990, a concrete slab replaced the steel structure roofing with funds collected among the Marathi community. Additional deities namely the Shiv Lingam were accommodated within a new building with funds donated by Mr M.Ramchandar.
MPWM played an important role during the last twenty years as its Office-Bearers took control of the Federation and Mr Babooram Gunesh, the actual President of MPWM stayed in office as President for more than twelve years.
It is good to mention that MPWM is on the move. The Managing Team is very dynamic and enthusiastic. An amount of about two million Rupees (Rs2 M) has been invested in Quatre-Bornes for the first phase of Gokhale Hall Project and in the renovation works at Cascavelle.