In just a day from now shouts of ‘Ganapati Bappa Morya’ will rent the air with their fervent passion, and will continue to do so for a dozen days after. An ardent devotee of the genteel god if you are, the period of Ganesh Chaturthi would be your proverbial ‘Halcyon Days’. But even if you are not a die-hard fan of the festivity, it is hard – extremely hard – to deny his charm. Amidst the pantheon of Indian deities, Ganesha is probably the only one who has an innate boyish cheekiness. You will really be hard put to find faults with a God who loves his ‘modak’ more than anything.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, we are in love with our Ganesh. Reasons abound, but if we had to pick our favourite ones these below would be them!
Patron Saint Incarnate
Unlike Roman Catholicism, the Hindu pantheon has no place for tutelary spirits and patron saints. But if writers, poets, students, and anyone in the literary field had to pray to some deity on an important occasion they would most likely choose Ganesh over anyone else. Remember those days you wrote ‘Om Ganeshaya Namah’ on your exam paper? Now you know why!
An Affirmation Of Life
Ganesha is always a riot of colours. He is most often depicted in red and white, the colours being symbolic of passion and strength. But Ganesha idols come in all shapes and colours, and his vibrant and cheerful frame is an affirmation of the pleasures and beauty of life itself.
Mild Mannered Yet Powerful
He is always smiling. He has a rat for a ‘vehicle’. And in his hands, he does not really hold any weapons of mass destruction. But make no mistake, this god may be mild-mannered but he is intensely powerful too. Take his rat for instance. Know any other animal that can chew through any obstacle with such ease? This is why Ganesh is called the remover of obstacles. The three-twined noose he holds in his hand is also symbolic of destroying arrogance, conceit, ignorance and illusion. All the power your way, devotees!
Lover Of Music
Of the 108 names for Ganesh, ‘Nadapratithistha’ is liked the best. It quite literally translates to one who loves and appreciates music and the arts. Dancers, singers and stage artists in India always invoke Ganesh before their performances, asking him to watch over them and help them be stellar. Ganesh is also frequently depicted with a sitar or some other musical instrument in hand. Now here’s a God who loves removing people’s burdens and has a whale of a time doing so. Role model, much?
A Friend For All Journeys
Ever have the feeling of not knowing what will happen next? The vague fear that clutches your heart every time you start something new afflicts almost everyone else too. And Ganesh with his calm and soothing demeanour is the god our pantheon has chosen to help mortals tide over that uneasiness. So whenever you start on a new journey (even if it’s a walk down the road) don’t forget to say hello to your protector and guide.
So now you know why we all love Ganesha. Tell us why you love this festival and what is your favourite part of having the festivities around, in the comments section below. Don’t forget to spread the love and cheer – and the sweets – all around.
HomeLane wishes you and your family a very happy Ganesh Chaturthi. Stay safe!
