Mumbai-Pune, India Sept-Oct.2008. - 2.

GANESH FESTIVAL!


Pictures: Wedding card with Ganesha on cover; a Ganesh idol; Ganesh at home; huge Ganesh idols, usually set up for worship by a whole neighbourhood or city locality, on sea side for immersion; Ganesh with a laptop!!


















Here, in India, doing something at an auspicious moment is more desirable, choosing to arrive at some place, for example, rather than doing this at an appropriate or convenient time, an important consideration in the western world. Although we, my wife and I, had not given any thought to going to India for a short visit on an "auspicious occasion," we were pleasantly surprised when we later realised we were arriving there during the 10 days Ganesh festival.

Lord Ganesh is the Hindu God of contracts, well-being and happiness. In Hindu beliefs, he is son of Shiva and Parvati and acquired an elephant's head in place of his own, and the story is........................... when he refused to allow entry to his father whilst his mother was bathing in the house, (Ganesh had never met his father before,) and Shiva enraged and not knowing this brave young man was his son, cut off his head. When Parvati came out she was grief stricken, shocked, and enraged with her husband's deed. Shiva, now appalled at his foolish and reckless act, (his own son!!!) found an elephant, cut off its head and replaced it on his son!!!

Ganesh is recognised as a great Being of kindness, compassion and bestows good luck and benefits to those who worship him.........hence all wedding invitation cards, for a Hindu wedding, for example, will have his image gracing the cover or top. No Hindu will start any venture without invoking Lord Ganesh. Ganesh is worshipped and invoked every New Year and before using a new set of Accounts books.
The Ganesh 10 day festival, with its beginnings in the distant past, involves bringing a richly decorated clay idol of this gentle God into the house or mandal (neighbourhood) and worshipping with prescribed rites for 10 days, a time of great joy and merriment as well, then immersing the idol in the nearby waters, at the end of 4 or more days, but not exceeding the 10 days............this means for the very wealthy and the innumerable number of collective neighbourhood Ganesh groups immersion of the idol is done on the 10th day. People turn out in large numbers (see picture) and roads leading to water-sea, river, lakes, are closed for traffic, the police and volunteers out in great numbers to control the crowds.

In the twentieth century this festival acquired some political overtones when the great Indian freedom fighter, Lokmanya Tilak, a tutor of Mahatma Gandhi, encouraged people to take part in this festival in large numbers, to signify solidarity, and intimidate the British Raj officials at the same time!

It was nice to arrive in India ( see post below) at Ganesh festival time, there is an excitement and feeling of good in the air..........lights, songs, sacred songs known as bhajans, people greeting and mingling, a general bonhomie. To me, personally, though I am not Hindu, I do believe here is a very beneficent Power, and how things of the heart cannot be worn on the shoulder.............

My housing complex members decided, sometime in the 1995s, they would pool expenses amongst themselves, and maintain a Ganesh idol with all the proper rites and rituals for the prescribed period of 10 days. All co-owners , Hindus, Muslims and others (we, my family and I, are Zoroastrian), get together and support Hindus with the rituals, and join them in merriment, get-togethers and games, sharing food delicacies ritually offered to the diety, known as "prasad." Its a time to meet people, have fun, bon homie............after the evening ritual of "aarti," the solemn offering of prayers to the diety, people wait back for dinner, with the menu set by all the residents......so one ends up tasting cuisine from all parts of India!!

Things seem very quiet and "dull" after the festival is over, but some do feel glad they can now "return" to their own routine!!!

Of course, the festival arrangements are not without the usual share of fuss and misunderstandings, between the resident or neighbourhood ladies, especially on the timing of events of each day, the choice of food, who should do what chores............."you did not turn up yesterday, why ?" well, people never learn.....so we, my wife and I, wisely avoided taking on any "administrative" responsibilities, least we rub the wrong shoulders.

And, this time, as folks living abroad, we had the better share of being treated VIPs (very important people) by VIPs (very inquisitive people!), with a small motley of neighbours keeping some distance..........an old stupid feeling of some discomfort with people who choose to migrate.

More in the next post.