Ten days with the Ganesha, Ganapati, the God of benevolence.....

Ten days with the Ganesha, Ganapati, the God of benevolence.....

The onset of Bhadrapad in Hindu calendar that is August or September, brings Bappa to our homes and surroundings. Whether installed individually at homes or in pandals his benevolence brings lots of joy and enthusiasm. The duration of installing the Lord may vary with some installing Ganeshji for just a day and a half, some have his blessings for three, five, seven or ten whole days. However the joie de vivre associated with this festival is so infectious that every person in Mumbai participates in it with childlike enthusiasm. For once differences of all kinds are forgotten and the chants of Ganapati Bappa Moraya fill the air with divine magic.
Of course the festival is rooted in history with even Shivaji Maharaj celebrating it. However it was Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak transformed it into a grand public event. Ever since then it's popularity has never waned. So year after year every one waits for the arrival of Ganapati Bappa and for the delicious modak, rice dumplings with sweet jaggery filling. But one also needs to think of restricting the size of the idol and ensure it is made from bio-degradable material to avoid damage to the water, aquatic life and the environment.
Today, is the 10th day of this year's Ganesh Utsav and one can hear the sounds of music, crackers and drums as the procession heads for immersion.
Our society too had set up an idol for one and a half days. The pooja and evening programmes organised by the children deepens our bond and keeps us together. As the pundit,  priest who has been coming to our building for over 10 years now rightly says, it is a blessing to get an opportunity  to pray together. Though the Lord is with us for just one and a half days it binds us together as we do the installation, pooja,  aarti, evening programme and a Havan  before the visarjan.
The act of visarjan symbolises the fact that everything in life is temporary and nothing is permanent. It also emphasises that ultimately one has to let go of everything we love passionately even though we may have nurtured it for long. By nature, an individual's intellect is caged in his ego. In contrast Ganesh Utsav displays the unshakeable faith among human beings. The visarjan specially teaches us to recognise the fact that the universe is  perpetually in a state of change. Ganesha in His avatar of an idol, melts into nothingness after the 10 day festival along with the chants of the people asking Him to return quickly next year.
What remains is the energy and the faith to look forward with hope towards the future. A reminder that Ganesha is not only the God of beginnings , He is also Vignaharta, the remover of obstacles and a symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.
No wonder none of us hesitate to say " Ganapati Bappa Moraya, Mangalmoorti
Moraya, pudhchya varshi lavkar yaa....