This Ganesh Chaturthi, as we welcome the Lord into our
homes, bleat drums, make Modaks,
light lamps and sing hymns, I look up towards the pink hued, calm and enduring
deity, the familiarity of the face as striking as the personal connect I feel
with Him. He is with me all throughout my days and nights, in mu curses when
things go wrong, in my thanksgivings when things are right, in my bribes when I
expect Him to turn things my way, in my pain when I am sick, in my joy when I
am joyful.
I grew up with Him in my coloring books, my first memory of Him
clad in a red Dhoti and golden crown still vividly etched in my mind. He was
the logo on the mustard oil tins which Ma would use, and I hated discarding Him
away after the oil was used up. In my drawing classes, He was the easiest being
I could draw and sketch with my pencil, always eager to give his belly that
extra bulge, and his ears the fanning shape. He is still the most lovable part
of my Durga Pujo memories at Dadabhai’s place, where, the moment we set our
foot in the house, we cousins would rush to Durgamondir
get a glimpse of which color costume He is wearing. A favorite amongst us, we
would love to hear his stories over and over again, how He took a full circle
around His Mother and declared that He has traversed the whole universe, how He
came to have an elephant’s head, how He has ‘Kola Bou’ as a wife.
As I moved into adulthood, He accompanied me, a constant
companion. Any kind of trouble, it does not last forever. Days go by and aches heal
themselves. But I love to think He is out there somewhere, holding that
invisible thread for me, so that I tip over so low that I smell the earth, yet
suddenly I bounce back, steady on my feet again. With Him, I am confident that
no matter what comes, He will pull me out and I will sail through. Now a
mother, He is the best bedtime story I tell my daughter. To her, He is ‘Gampta Papa’, the hero on Cartoon Network
who can kill ‘Rakshasas’ with a
single blow, his mouse equally important with its red jacket and golden trims.
As I pray to Him, a part of this huge crowd of worshipers
and devotees, in a Sarvajanik Puja Mandap, not even for once do I feel that I
share Him with others. My Ganpati Bappa is so distinctly individual to me, to my
world. I seek his blessings and turn to leave, when I notice the other fellow worshipers standing in the queue. The same gleam in their eyes, the same
emotion in their folded hands, the same respect in their demeanor. I realize, to
each one of us, Lord Ganesha is our own, the very lovable companion who knows
exactly what we are going through. Each one of us look up to him, and He
assures us, our troubles will pass away.
This Ganesh Chaturthi, I bow my head to this divine being
who is mine and our at the same time. Ganpati Bappa Morya!!
