Photography | Art
No Entry For Obstacles
Summer Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Shine!”
You can count on me, always!
That is the message from Ganesha! India is celebrating the 10-day Ganesh Chaturti from today. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, which is why all prayer — regardless of which deity is being worshipped — begins with an invocation to him. He shines hope on us.
Happy birthday, Ganesha!
This is a festival very close to my heart (and not just for the yummy menu of the day), thanks to all the wonderful childhood memories. We have a special puja at home. We make a clay model of the deity, which we immerse in water on day 11. Oh, there’s a story there!
So now, here’s the story of how Ganesha was born. There are various versions, but this is the most popular. Gosh, I’ve embellished it in so many ways and narrated it to my son when he was little!
Once upon a time, the Goddess Parvati (Shiva’s consort) while bathing, created a handsome statue with the sandalwood paste she was using (What was she doing with so much sandalwood paste?!!). She fell in love with him instantly and breathed life into him, making him her son. (Now, note that Shiva, who was out at the time, had no inkling of this.) Then Parvati asked the child to stand guard outside and stop anyone from entering the house, while she bathed.
Now, fancy Shiva’s shock and surprise at being stopped by a strange little boy at the gate when he returned home! Enraged that anyone would dare to stop him, he promptly cut off Ganesha’s head. (Talk about being a hasty hothead!).
This obviously made Parvati mad in a hell-hath-no-fury kind of way. Apologetic and keen to make up for his massive mistake, Shiva ordered his men to bring him the head of any creature that might be sleeping with its head facing north. (DO NOT ask me why). They found only an elephant. And thus Ganesha got the elephant’s head.
Thank you dear Mary Chang Story Writer for this joyful space.
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