Festival of Joy!

            A year’s wait is finally over and Maharashtra’s most revered God, has now adorned all our households . ‘Ganpati Bappa’ as he is affectionately referred to, is every believer’s best friend, confidant. His arrival, signifies the dawn of a new beginning, every time he visits.  There is a unique character to this form of God, which we truly believe, is one of the best manifestations of India’s  Artistic innovation spirit. The unique curve, formed as a result of the rolled up trunk of Ganesha, is something, that we commonly find in nature. This strong resemblance and reflection in the form of Ganapati, signifies how complete the artistic creation is! It is only fitting to refer to Ganapati as the ‘Master of all Arts’, because of the comprehensive nature of his form. Likewise, art is bound to be a gift of and for this lord. Art is the product of a sum of knowledgeable ideas of the brain. Is it  because of this, that Ganapati is also referred to as the ‘God of Wisdom’? Perhaps yes!

Ganesha, is an artist’s favourite recipe. It can be handcrafted to reflect the diverse, creative thoughts of artists across the globe. Ganesha can hence be found sculpted, painted, and assembled in a variety of poses, age groups, actions. The sundry of his forms can also be found as a result of the advances and innovations in the fields of art, as also the geo political diversity.

One of the most striking features of this human sculpted God Forms, are the emptions depicted in the eyes of his idols. These emotions, are real, adorable, command respect and highly communicative – a superb mix nowhere to be found in the world. Knowingly, unknowingly, we all fall in love with him. People of all age groups, backgrounds indulge in long conversations with him. We all vaguely remember doing this at some point in our childhood, and even sometimes today.

            It is only interesting to note, that ‘Vignaharta’ as he is referred to in the recent times, was once considered as a demi God, having mysterious powers. One does not exactly know when, but Ganapati is the latest addition to the long, varied list of Indian Gods & Goddesses!

            According to mythological stories, Ganapati, was named so because he was the chief commander of the army of Gods. Likewise he also plays a crucial role in assisting Maharshi Vyas in penning down Mahabharata, India’s  biggest bestseller!

            The attraction for this superior blend of Elephant-Human God isn’t just limited to the boundaries of modern day India, but has transcended borders, and seamlessly blended  with the cultures and traditions across Asia, and also parts of Europe.

Ganapati has played a crucial role in shaping India’s political landscape, tracing back to the time of the British Rule in India. Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of India’s brightest revolutionaries, and a staunch Congressman, gave a clarion call to unite Indians to fight the British by celebrating Ganesh Utsav in public domain in the year 1892. Interestingly, this year marks the 125 year celebrations of the very festival which was started in small alleys of Pune, and has now become Maharashtra’s biggest tourist attractions. Getting the sacred, protected God out of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and holding a public installation was one of the most revolutionary concepts introduced in Hindu Religion.  Ganeshotsav played a pivotal role in uniting the already distributed, Indian public into a robust, indisputable army of spirited minds.

Today, Ganeshotsav has crossed the boundaries of continents, and is celebrated with much fervour across the world. But lest we forget, that Ganapati is a thread that binds us into the spirit of knowledge based unity. He stands for the values which know no color, no race.

It is know more than clear, why those celebrating this festival long so much for an entire calendar year to welcome their favourite God into their humble abodes. After 10 days of fun, frolic, it is time to bid our beloved Bappa a tearful farewell, only to meet next year, sooner than this. The idea behind immersing the idol signifies the high intellect of our spiritual thinkers. Ganapati is believed to be a representation of the Energy Circle or ‘Chakra’ that exists around us. This ‘Chakra’ is the foundation of the other Chakras . Energy is an entity which is never lost, but converts its form from another. Likewise, the idol too, becomes one with the water after immersion and maintains the energy balance in the cosmic universe. It gives a message to not limit our belief in the physical form of God, but also to think beyond in identifying the presence of God in all places around us.

                                                                                                      

  Saleel Savarkar - + 91-98239-00318

Anuja Jogdeo +91-89757-67599