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Rama’s Departure

By Harini Gopalswami Srinivasan 

According to Valmiki’s Ramayana, Sita’s departure into the earth had filled Rama with grief and anger. He threatened to destroy the whole earth if Sita was not returned to him. Brahma pacified him, saying,

“Do not grieve. Remember that you are an incarnation. You will be reunited with the pure and noble Sita in heaven.”

Illustration: Arijit Dutta Chowdhury

The next morning, Kusha and Lava sang the Uttara Kanda, the last book of the Ramayana, dealing with future events. After the sacrifice was over and all the guests had left, the sorrowful Rama returned to Ayodhya, treasuring Sita in his heart. He did not marry again; a golden image of Sita served as the queen in every sacrifice. Rama performed thousands of Ashwamedha, Vaajapeya, and other sacrifices, giving generous donations. He ruled over his kingdom righteously. The clouds poured forth rain in time, the harvest was good, and the cities were full of happy, well-fed and long-lived people. After a long time, Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi went to heaven and were happily reunited with Dasharatha. One day, Yuddhajeet, the king of Kekeya, asked Rama’s help in conquering the beautiful territory of the Gandharvas, along the river Sindhu. Rama sent Bharata with his two brave sons Taksha and Pushkala. After conquering the territory, Taksha was established as king of Takshasheela, and Pushkala as king of Pushkalaavati. Similarly, Rama carved out two kingdoms in the Kaarupatha region for Lakshmana’s sons, Angada and Chandraketu.

Ten thousand years passed, with the four brothers always striving to serve the citizens righteously. One day, Death appeared at the palace, in the form of a rishi. He told Rama that he wanted to speak to him in private. If anyone heard or saw their conversation, Rama would have to kill him. Rama agreed, and sent Lakshmana outside. Then the rishi said,

“I am your son, Kaala (time), the destroyer of all. I bring you this message from Brahma: O Vishnu, lord of the universe, you were born on earth in human form to slay Dashagreeva. Your scheduled stay of eleven thousand years in the mortal world is coming to an end. If you wish to return to heaven, the Devas will be happy.”

As Rama smilingly agreed, Rishi Durvasa appeared at the royal gate. He threatened to curse the kingdom and the whole family of Raghu if he was not allowed to see Rama immediately. Hearing those dreadful words, Lakshmana thought,

“If I go to Rama now, only I will be killed; all the others will be saved.”

Illustration: Arijit Dutta Chowdhury

He fetched Rama, who came hurrying out to see Durvasa. The rishi said he had just completed one thousand years of his tapas and he wanted cooked food. Rama immediately served him food and Durvasa, after eating well, went away praising Rama. Only then did Rama remember the words of Kaala. He was filled with sorrow. Lakshmana spoke to him sweetly,

“This is but the law of time. Keep your promise and do not grieve for me. For the sake of dharma and out of affection for me, punish me without hesitation.”

After consulting his councillors and priests, Rama renounced his brother, saying that renunciation was the same as destroying a person. Lakshmana went to the bank of the river, stood with joined palms, and stopped breathing. Raining flowers on that heroic scion of Raghu, the devas came and took him to heaven.

The grief-stricken Rama decided to place Bharata on the throne and follow Lakshmana at once. But Bharata and all the citizens pleaded with him to take them along. Seeing their devotion, Rama agreed. He lovingly installed his sons Kusha and Lava as the kings of Kosala and Uttara Kosala respectively. Then he sent a messenger to Shatrughna. Shocked at the news, Shatrughna installed his sons, Subahu and Shatrughati, on the thrones of Madhura and Vidisha respectively, and came straight to Ayodhya. The vanaras, bears and rakshasas also arrived in great numbers, eager to follow Rama. Rama asked Vibhishana, Hanuman, Jambavan, Mainda and Dwivida to stay on earth until the end of Kali Yuga. All the other vanaras and bears were to go with him.

Illustration: Arijit Dutta Chowdhury

The next morning, Vasishta performed all the rites of the final departure. Then, preceded by the priests with the brilliant umbrellas of Agnihotra and Vajpeya, the lustrous, lotus-eyed Rama walked to the Sarayu, praising the Supreme Brahma. He was followed by all the weapons of destruction, and accompanied by Shri, Mahi, the four Vedas, Gayatri, Omkara and Vashatkara, and all his devotees – Bharata and Shatrughna and their wives, noble rishis and rakshasas, and all the citizens of Ayodhya, young and old, even down to the tiniest animals and birds. As they approached the river ford at Goprataara, Brahma and the devas came in their shining chariots to receive Rama and his followers. Flowers rained on them all as they ascended to the heavens and were united with their ancestors. To the delight of the Devas, Rama and his brothers merged into Lord Vishnu.

Read Amar Chitra Katha’s six-volume set of ‘Valmiki’s Ramayana’ on the ACK Comics app or Kindle. Now, also available on Amazon, Flipkart, and other major e-tailers. 

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Ganpati Visarjan 2024: Celebrating with Tradition and Joy

After eleven days of celebrating and worshipping everyone’s beloved Lord Ganesha, preparations for his return to his own abode begin. For many, it is a time of bittersweet emotions as they bid Ganesha farewell and entreat him to come back quickly the next year. The idols of Ganesha are transported, amidst much dance and celebration, to the nearest body of water where they are then ceremonially immersed. This is known as visarjan: the act of returning an object used for worship back to nature. 

People perform the visarjan for their Ganesha idols on the first, third, fifth, or seventh day after bringing them home. While not everyone keeps their idols of Ganesha for the entire duration that the celebrations last, the biggest and most popular idols around Mumbai bid farewell to their Ganpatis on the eleventh day which falls on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, a festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu. On this day, enormous processions of celebrating devotees make the journey to the Arabian Sea where the Ganpati idols are then transported farther into sea by boats and immersed. 

The final day of the celebrations devoted to Lord Ganesha sees as much pomp and splendour as the day of his arrival. Devotees turn up by the hundreds, flinging coloured powder into the air and colouring each other’s cheeks with it while troupes of drummers carrying the huge dhols play them with fervent energy for hours, never seeming to tire. The devotees in attendance break out into energetic dances, chanting Ganesha’s name along with songs devoted to him that urge his quick return. The general atmosphere across the city turns electric, hordes of people accompanying the lord’s procession, and hundreds of others running up to the roofs to watch them go by. 

The largest of the idols are loaded into the backs of trucks or lorries large enough to accommodate them, with the whole vehicle decorated and draped in flowers and garlands. Priests travel with the idols after performing a ceremonial aarti that flags off the idol’s journey to its visarjan. Owing to the size and fragility of these idols, the trucks drive on at a slow pace, allowing the idol to remain safe while also letting the devotees following the procession to follow at a manageable pace.  

In the more recent years, there are hundreds of volunteers at every procession tasked with handing out bottles of water and small refreshments for those following the processions. Law and order agents and traffic policemen are kept busy trying to direct and redirect the processions along with the ubiquitous traffic across the city. The rhythmic beat set by the dhols lasts well into the night as the processions make their way through the streets. 

The best known and most visited sites for visarjan are Juhu Chowpatty, Khar Danda, Shivaji Park Chowpatty, Versova Beach, and Girgaon Chowpatty. The beaches are usually filled with still-celebrating devotees until early next morning which is when the last of the grand Ganesha idols make their way into the sparkling sea. 

Curious to learn more about Lord Ganesha? Click here to dive into the fascinating stories and rich history surrounding this beloved deity.

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Ganesh Chaturthi: A Journey Through India’s Celebrations

India’s enthusiasm for and during Ganesh Chaturthi is unmatched. Months before the day, the shaping and carving of the elaborate and perfectly moulded Ganesh idols begins. As the weeks slip away, there is a frenzied rush of people thronging to their favourite expert to order their idol of the elephant-headed god. Homes are cleaned and beautifully decorated, pandals are constructed and embellished both indoors and in public, and invitations are sent out by the dozen. The otherwise harsh lines of religion are temporarily blurred as truck drivers and delivery personnel carefully transport Ganesha idols to their respective pandals, heedless of whether they celebrate the festival or not. 

It is this spirit of generosity and togetherness that shines through most brightly in the weeks leading up to, and in the days during, Ganesh Chaturthi. Over ten days of making, buying and distributing sweets, exchanging recipes and reviews, planning and buying outfits, researching decoration ideas, and visiting pandals and the private idols of loved ones and friends – it’s a wonderfully jubilant time of year. Under the aegis of the beloved Lord Ganesha, the whole country unites to celebrate his arrival and subsequent departure. 

While some cities’ celebration of the festival is on a larger scale than some others, the spirit of the festival remains equally high all over. Here, we’ll read about the celebration in a few Indian cities, and how each city has its own personal brand of Ganesh Chaturthi festivities. 

 Goa: 

Collectively known for being the dream holiday destination of the whole country, and some well-informed people from overseas too, Goa has its own festivities associated with Ganesh Chaturthi too. Homes are cleaned and the traditional “matoli” is set up. In Goa, a matoli is a wooden canopy that is installed above Ganesha’s seat. The locals head into the forests to source the wood for the matoli, as well as gourds, pumpkins, bananas, coconuts and areca nuts. Once the matoli is constructed, it is decorated using flowers, leaves, roots and creepers.  

Sweets known as neuriyos (pastry stuffed with a sweet filling) are prepared as an offering for the lord, and traditional vegetarian Goan dishes such as mugachi ghati (made of lentils) and chanyacho ross (a coconut-based curry) along with hot and crisp puris are served to the visiting guests.  

And so Goan culture, known for its lassitude and warmth, makes plenty of room for fantastic Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations too! 

Hyderabad: 

There is much excitement for the festivities associated with Ganesh Chaturthi in the city of pearls. Hyderabad is home to the Khairatabad Ganesha which is installed in the Khairatabad locality of Hyderabad. The pandal here is visited by thousands of devotees over the eleven-day period that the festival is celebrated. The Ganesha installed here is known for being one of the tallest, sometimes measuring up to 60 feet, and the laddu placed in this Ganesha’s left hand is famous for its enormous size, sometimes weighing up to 6000 kilograms. 

Some of the dishes prepared during Ganeshotsav are undrallu (steamed rice balls), panakam (drink made with jaggery and cardomom) and vadapappu (soaked moong lentils). On the final day of festivities, the Ganesha idols are immersed in the Hussain Sagar Lake. 

Mumbai: 

The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai is simply awe-inspiring in its pomp and splendour. The level of energy throughout the eleven days remains at a constant high as devotees take great effort to visit as many of the countless pandals erected across the city as they can. Trucks and lorries carrying towering idols of Lord Ganesha, and sometimes even of his parents Lord Shiva and Parvati (Gauri), can be seen driving through every other lane in the days before the first. Expansive banners with brightly coloured paintings, sparkling banners, and flags are draped and hung around every nook and corner, and thousands and thousands of baskets of fresh flowers are used to be strung into even more garlands to decorate the canopy and pedestal where the idols will take seat.  

Once the festivities begin, it is a thing of wonderfully sweet beauty to drive or walk past a pandal during working hours only to catch a swift glimpse of a brilliantly coloured and decorated Ganesha idol inside. Serpentine lines leading into the more famous pandals get longer and longer, the devotees waiting not showing no signs of fatigue or frustration. Volunteers serve sweets and prasad to departing devotees from enormous tubs filled with kilos of it.  

Aside from the dancers and singers who train hard for Ganeshotsav, there are the dhol troupes who spend months on end practicing tirelessly. Carrying drums that are sometimes bigger than the person playing it, they set the fervent and incredibly passionate mood that lasts until the very last day of celebrations. Nobody is impervious to the fervid beat the drums set up, and the tremendous energy of the drummers is undeniably contagious as the crowds around them spontaneously break into dance. 

The Ganpati mandals across Mumbai are too many to be counted. From smaller ones inside housing societies to immense tourist attractions that attract over a million devotees a day, such as the Lalbaugcha Raja, each and every idol of Lord Ganesha that is set up receives an equal amount of love and pious adoration from devotees. Every evening there are elaborate aartis accompanied by the traditional songs that have been sung for centuries with everyone present clapping to an exact rhythm with an ease that even the unpractised can boast of. 

The most popular offerings to the lord are modaks (dumplings), specifically ukdiche modak (steamed dumplings stuffed with jaggery and coconut) and pedas (reduced milk solids sweetened with sugar and shaped into tiny balls) of all kinds. Also popular are laddus of several different varieties such as coconut laddus, boondi laddus, besan laddus and sesame laddus. Many pandals also serve devotees with a free meal, most often comprised of puris, potato curry, chickpeas curry, a rice preparation, and at least one kind of sweet or dessert. ‘Pandal-hopping’, as it is called, is a popular activity for the evenings and weekends when devotees go from pandal to pandal, seeking Ganesha’s blessings and availing of delicious sweets and snacks. 

On the final day, the palpable vitality around the city is rather bittersweet. While everyone is sad to say goodbye to Lord Ganesha, beseeching with him to return soon, the exuberant vigour in the processions leading to the Arabian Sea for the immersion of the idols borders on unhinged. The dhol and dance troupes seem to be blessed with inexhaustible stamina that lasts until the next morning when some of the larger idols finally make it to the sea.  

As the streets finally clear of traffic and the tired but happy devotees head home after eleven days of nonstop festivities, the city buzzes quietly as it resettles and takes a deep breath before the next set of celebrations begins. 

Bengaluru: 

The biggest Ganeshotsav event in Bengaluru is held in Basanvagudi every year. There are incredible performances of art, music, theatre and dance, and almost a million people gather to witness the rich display of culture and festivities every year. Acclaimed theatre groups, musicians, and dancers from not just Bengaluru, but from across the country, perform at the Utsav. The most well-known offering to Lord Ganesha which is then distributed among the devotees is panchakajjaya (a mixture of dessicated coconut, roasted Bengal gram powder, sugar, ghee and sesame). 

 Chennai: 

In Chennai, the festival is called Vinayagar Chaturthi by the locals. Beautifully adorned idols are carried through the streets on palanquins on the way to the pandals they are installed in. Traditional, carnatic music dedicated to Lord Ganesha sets the mood for the cultural and religious extravaganza. Sweets like modakam (fried dumplings stuffed with jaggery and coconut) and kozhakatai (steamed dumplings stuffed with jaggery and coconut), along with savoury dishes like sundal (boiled chickpeas tempered with spices) are offered to the lord and distributed among devotees. The most famous Ganesha temples here are the Kapaleeshwar Temple and the Ucchi Pillayar Temple. 

Delhi: 

Delhi too welcomes Lord Ganesha for ten days, and there are a few must-visit Ganesha temples in and around the capital. Sri Vinayaka Temple in Noida with its south-Indian style of architecture is open throughout the day for devotees and is beautifully decorated during the festival; Sri Siddhivinayak Temple in Dwarka is one more that is worth a visit, and the Ganesha Temple in Connaught Place and Shri Subha Siddhi Vinayak in Mayur Vihar make for splendid sights for those looking for a taste and glimpse of true Ganesha fervour. 

Curious to learn more about Lord Ganesha? Click here to dive into the fascinating stories and rich history surrounding this beloved deity.

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The Story of Ganesha, Riddhi, and Siddhi: Symbolism and Significance

With Ganesh Chaturti right around the corner, here is a little story about everyone’s beloved Lord Ganesha and his consorts as told over the years. 

As with countless other gods and their stories, Lord Ganesha and stories related to him too are widely debated. One such story associated with our beloved elephant-headed god is the matter of his marital status! While a lot of people believe that Lord Ganesha is unmarried, and a staunch brahmachari, Ganesha is widely worshipped along with his two consorts, Riddhi and Siddhi. 

It is said that the young Lord Ganesha wanted a wife but could not find one because of his elephant head. Upset by this, the mischievous god would often disrupt and disturb the wedding ceremonies of the other gods and devas, much to their despair. Helpless and not knowing whom else to turn to, the devas approached Lord Brahma. Upon hearing of their woes, Lord Brahma smiled and created two beautiful maidens, Riddhi and Siddhi, and offered them to Lord Ganesha as his wives. Pleased with Brahma’s offer, Lord Ganesha accepted, and finally let the other devas and deities get married in peace. 

Lord Ganesh is worshipped for being the remover of obstacles from the paths of his devotees, especially those who are starting a new venture. Old grandmothers’ tales used to lovingly depict Ganesha using his trunk to pluck hurdles out of the paths of those who worshipped him. Aside from this, Ganesha is said to be the granter of knowledge and wisdom, as well as of prosperity and success.  

So, it is only logical that Ganesha’s two consorts are representative of the most important virtues that he himself is known, loved and worshipped for. While Riddhi depicts wealth and prosperity, Siddhi depicts intellect and spirituality. Together, Riddhi and Siddhi represent the holy balance between material wealth and intellectual wisdom that people must aim to attain. 

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Mythology Meets Whiskers: Ganesha and the Cat

Children learn through life lessons and Lord Ganesha was no exception. A notorious troublemaker as a child, Ganesha regularly tormented Lord Shiva’s Ganas and all those at Mount Kailasha who were helpless before the little prankster’s charm. This is a small folktale where little Ganesha learns the importance of kindness to all life forms. 

Ganesha was out playing with his friends, with his mouse, Mooshak, in tow. As the children played, Ganesha saw Mooshak jump back in fear and set off, startled, into the distance at a run. Wondering what had managed to scare the mouse into running away, Ganesha went to investigate. What he stumbled upon was a harmless cat, minding its own business as it groomed itself. 

Now, Ganesha was not cruel, but he was, after all, a child. Like all children faced with a small animal, Ganesha too was intrigued and, more than anything else, wanted to play! So, he bent down and picked up the cat only to have the little creature jump out of his grip and hurry away. Instinctively, Ganesha ran after it, delighted at the opportunity to give chase and indulge in some lighthearted teasing. 

He found the cat hiding under a rock and attempted to coax it out. The cat, however, simply curled in around itself and stayed steadfastly out of reach. Not one to give up so easily, Ganesha crouched down, grabbed the poor cat’s tail and proceeded to pull it out by its tail! 

The cat yowled in pain, completely beyond affronted at this careless treatment. Scrabbling for purchase with its claws, it tried to wriggle free, succeeding for a fleeting moment before Ganesha tightened his grip on its tail and yanked it back towards him. The poor cat didn’t know what to do! Meowing and hissing, it tried to escape. 

Ganesha was thoroughly entertained by now. Like any other naughty child, he was enjoying himself immensely as he rough-housed with the cat, gamboling around with it in the dirt. The cat, however, was not happy at all. It was in pain, and it was covered in dirt and it really, really wanted to be as far out of Ganesha’s reach as was possible. 

Thankfully, it managed to slip free of Ganesha’s chubby little fingers and it streaked off to the nearest tree and climbed as high as it could get. Hungry and quite satisfied with his play session, Ganesha wandered back home, idly wondering what his mother would have in store for him to eat. 

At home, Ganesha called out to Mother Parvati, asking for something to eat. When she appeared, food in hand, Ganesha was aghast. His mother, in all her lovely clothes, looked completely worse for the wear; she was covered in dirt and was limping in obvious pain. Her lovely face was smeared with mud and her hair was in disarray, tangled around her head. 

Terribly worried and anxious about her welfare, Ganesha demanded to know who had left Parvati in such a state. Parvati sighed and looked at him with her eyes full of loving reproach. She gently informed him that it was Ganesha himself who was responsible. 

She, Parvati, was the mother of all life in existence, she explained to him, and every life form is her, in essence. The cat that Ganesha had bullied and tossed around too had Parvati’s life in it. She said that the way Ganesha treated all innocent life forms was, essentially, the way he treated his mother. 

Chastised and wiser for it, Ganesha promised never to be unkind to any other living being again, even if it was just in play. Thus, like all children, little Ganesha too learned the importance of kindness and care. 

Curious to learn more about Lord Ganesha? Click here to dive into the fascinating stories and rich history surrounding this beloved deity.

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Ganesha and Vishnu’s Conch Shell

Lord Ganesha owns the heart and devotion of all those who worship him. Each year, we wait with bated breath for Ganesh Chaturti, and on the day of his arrival, we celebrate with much pomp and splendour, along with dozens of his favourite dishes. The beloved elephant-headed god blesses us by ridding our path of obstacles and granting us happiness and prosperity. There are numerous stories of him and how he takes care of his devotees. One of the lesser heard stories of Lord Ganesha is that of Him and Lord Vishnu’s prized conch shell. 

Lord Ganesha has a playful, mischievous side to him that doesn’t spare anybody – not even Lord Vishnu! 

A little folktale says that Lord Vishnu found his precious conch to be missing one day. Along with his Sudarshana Chakra, the conch is one of Lord Vishnu’s most well-known and prized possessions. So naturally, Lord Vishnu was most puzzled and worried when he couldn’t locate it. After searching for it high and low all over Vaikuntha (Lord Vishnu’s abode), and after having all his attendants conduct a search for it to no avail, Lord Vishnu was well and truly stumped with the disappearance of the conch. 

Just as he was about to give up all hope, Lord Vishnu heard the unmistakable sound of the conch being blown. The high, echoing waves of sound emanated from far away, but Vishnu correctly identified it at once. To his mounting perplexity, when he followed the sounds, he found himself on Mount Kailasha, the abode of Lord Shiva! And there, to his amazement, he found Lord Ganesha, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, blowing the conch shell as though it was his plaything. 

Quickly assessing the situation as one beyond his control, Lord Vishnu approached Ganesha’s father, Lord Shiva. When Mahadev heard Lord Vishnu’s appeal, he regretfully informed him that even he couldn’t chastise Ganesha or take away something he had. Lord Ganesha truly was beyond anybody else’s control and the playful troublemaker was more than happy to demonstrate!  

Shiva advised Vishnu to pray to Lord Ganesha with sincere devotion. After agreeing wholeheartedly, Lord Vishnu, master of the universe and everything beyond, humbly performed a puja with fragrant offerings to Lord Ganesha, putting his heart and soul into the prayers. Lord Ganesha is never one to disappoint his devotees, and Lord Vishnu was no exception. Pleased with Vishnu’s humble and sincere prayers, Lord Ganesha appeared before him and happily returned his conch shell to him with a smile. 

Even Lord Vishnu set aside his formidable prowess to bow humbly before Lord Ganesha. What pleases Lord Vinayak more than anything else is the humility and honest devotion that people make their offerings with. This Ganesh Chaturti, set your prayers and offerings before Lord Ganesha with sincerity and honesty…and maybe an extra modak or two! 

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Ganesha and Lord Shiva’s Rule

Both Parvati and Lord Shiva doted on their first child, Lord Ganesha. The story of how Ganesha won their hearts and the golden fruit by circumventing them both as the centre of his world is one of the most well-known stories of them. Lord Ganesha’s honesty and sincerity along with his calm intelligence and wisdom is what makes him the beloved deity we all pray to before embarking on a new journey or adventure.  

When Lord Shiva gave Ganesha his elephant head, he also made him the chief of all his Ganas (hence his name “Ganesh” or “Ganapati”), Parvati wanted Shiva to ensure that Ganesha became irreplaceable in the world amidst all the devas. That was when Shiva announced that those looking to start something new must always worship Ganesha first to achieve success. This granted Lord Ganesha a status no other god could claim. So absolute was Lord Ganesha’s position amidst the other deities that even Lord Shiva had to go by his own rule. 

Another short grandmother’s tale goes that Lord Shiva was called on to face an asura who was wreaking havoc and terrorising the other devas. With no other god powerful enough to defeat the demon, it was down to Shiva to act. Assembling his army of Ganas, Lord Shiva set off to battle, forgetting all about the rule he himself had made. In his hurry to go fight, Lord Shiva forgot to invoke the blessings of his own son, Ganesha. 

Lord Ganesha is most appreciative of his devotees’ humility when they seek his blessings. Lord Shiva, albeit his status as Mahadev and Lord Ganesha’s father, had to seek his son’s blessings before he set out to battle so he could claim victory. 

As Lord Shiva rode to battle, his mount, Nandi, got his hoof stuck in a deep rut along the way. As they stumbled to a stop, Lord Shiva wondered at this obstacle on his way. As the deva who had made the rule himself, he instantly realised that he had forgotten something crucial – seeking his son’s blessings. At once, Shiva arranged for and conducted a puja to grace Ganesha and asked for his blessings, after which Nandi was able to pull his hoof free, and Lord Shiva was able to ride to battle and attain victory. 

The story, while relatively diminutive, holds huge significance. It shows that even Lord Shiva, as a father and the most supreme being in the universe, had to bow before his son in order to be successful. It reminds us that rules, even when made by oneself, must be followed without exception. And lastly, that humility is never out of place, not even between son and father, and especially not amidst mortals and gods. 

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The God of Auspicious Beginnings

Illustration: C.M.Vitankar

If you are have taken part in Hindu rituals and prayers, you would have noticed that, on every occasion, the first offering is made to the adorable elephant god, Ganesha. He is remembered before the commencement of any new venture or ritual. Ganesha is regarded as the god of auspicious beginnings. But do you know why Ganesha is always the first god that offerings are made to? There is not one but two reasons for this. 

The Birth of Ganesha

One day, before Parvati goes in for a bath, she posts Shiva’s attendant, Nandi, at the door, instructing him to not let anyone enter. However, when Shiva comes along, Nandi doesn’t stop him, wondering how she can stop someone from entering his own home. Furious, Parvati decides to create an attendant who is loyal only to her. From the saffron paste of her body, she moulds a boy and blesses him with life. She is so overwhelmed by her creation, she sees the boy as her own son. 

Later, Parvati orders her son to not let anybody into the palace while is she having a bath. When Shiva shows up, the boy stops the god from entering, true to his mother’s word. Shiva, enraged by the boy’s actions, wages a full-blown war with the boy, eventually cutting off his head. When Parvati learns this, she is inconsolable. She orders Shiva to bring her child back to life, threatening the future of all the three worlds otherwise. As per Brahma’s advice, Shiva sends his armies northwards, telling them to bring back the head of the first creature they see. Accordingly, the head of an elephant is brought back, which he places on the boy’s neck. Lord Brahma blesses him with life, and names him Ganesha. Ganesha is then blessed with many weapons and powers. It is at this time that Shiva proclaims Ganesha as the lord of new beginnings, with the power to remove all obstacles from the path of success.

Illustration: C.M.Vitankar
The Celestial Race 

One day, when a group of holy men were conducting a puja, each god started boasting as to who the offering would be made to first. Soon it turned into an ugly argument.

With the debate reaching a deadlock, Narada intervenes and asks the gods to seek Shiva’s help. Shiva decides to determine the most important god through a celestial race. The quickest to finish three full rounds of the world would be the winner and thus, gain authority over every offering ever. 

All the gods start off in a tearing hurry to complete the race. Meanwhile, Ganesha is busy devouring laddus. When his mother Parvati asks him the reason for his absence from the race, Ganesha smiles and said he is yet to begin. The other gods finish one round and start on the second, while Ganesha continues to eat laddus. As the other gods head out on the third round, Ganesha walks to where Shiva and Parvati are seated, folds his hands, and takes not three but seven rounds of his parents.

Illustration: Arijit Dutta Choudhary

 When asked to explain his actions, Ganesha replies that his parents are not just his world but his entire universe! Pleased by his wit and admiration, Shiva declares him the winner, and the other gods have no choice but to bow down to the elephant god’s quick thinking! 

So the next time you offer laddus to tubby Ganesha, do whisper in his ears that you know the reason why he is always first!

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Mythology’s Generous Fathers

By Srinidhi Murthy 

Indian mythology has but rare incidents of generous fathers. Here are some of the interesting boons and gifts the divine fathers gave to their sons. 

Surya and Karna

Illustration: Ram Waeerkar

Born to the maiden princess Kunti of Kuntibhoja, Karna was abandoned by his mother at birth. Kunti was granted a boon by sage Durvasa to summon any god of her choice and obtain a son through that god. Curious Kunti summoned Surya to test her boon. She was horrified when she realized that she would have to endure the life of an unwed mother due to the power of boon. She placed her newborn baby in a basket and let it flow in the river. She prayed for the protection of her son, hence Lord Surya gave him divine kavacha kundala (armour and earnings) to the newborn baby which would provide protection from any weapon in the world.

Vayu and Hanuman

Illustration: Sabu Sarasan

Hanuman was born to Anjana with the blessing of Vayu, the wind god. Hence, he was also called Pavanputra, meaning the son of Vayu. Even as a child, Hanuman possessed great strength. Once, young Hanuman saw the sun and assumed it to be a fruit. He decided to leap into the sky and eat the delicious fruit. Indra witnessed this act of Hanuman and in order to prevent him, he used his divine weapon, Vajra, against him. Hanuman fell defenceless against the power of Vajra. When Vayu saw this, his rage knew no bounds. Holding Hanuman in his arms, he moved into a cave. The wind god stopped blowing. With no air on earth, all creatures began to suffer. Alarmed by the situation, the gods approached Vayu. Learning about the incident, they showered Hanuman with boons such as immunity from all kinds of weapons and fire, good health and immortality. Vayu himself gifted his son the speed of the wind and the ability to fly. With these boons, Hanuman was revived again much to the happiness of his father.

Indra and Arjuna

Illustration: Dilip Kadam

Born to Kunti, the wife of King Pandu, and Indra due to the boon bestowed upon her by the sage Durvasa, Arjuna was a fierce archer. He was given the Vajra by his father, Lord Indra. The powerful celestial weapon, when released, would strike the target by bolts of lightning.  During a clash with Danavas, Indra also gifted a splendid crown to Arjuna. This also got him the name Kiritin. Additionally, when Arjuna visited heaven, he rejected the advances of a celestial apsara, Urvashi. Unable to take this insult, she cursed him to be a eunuch forever. However, Indra intervened on behalf of his son and pacified Urvashi to modify her curse. Thus, Arjuna became a eunuch for only a year, when he desired. Arjuna used this curse as an opportunity in his thirteenth year of hiding and became eunuch in the court of King Virata.

Shantanu and Bheeshma

Illustration: L.D. Pednekar

Born to King Shantanu of Hastinapur and Goddess Ganga, Bheeshma, originally known as Devavrata by his parents, was the crown prince of Hastinapur until his father fell in love with Satyavati, the daughter of a fisherman. King Shantanu put forward the marriage proposal to her father. He agreed only with one condition, which was to make Satyavati’s kids the heir to the throne, not Devavrata. Shantanu was troubled by this condition and refused to name any heir other than Devavrata. Unable to bear the dejected state of his father, Devavrata met the fisherman and took a vow of celibacy in front of him, thus making Shantanu and Satyavati’s union possible. Due to this strong vow, Devavarta came to be known as Bheeshma and Shantanu granted him the boon to choose the time of his own death.

Shiva and Ganesha

Illustration: C.M. Vitankar

Shiva blessed Ganesha to be the queller of obstacles, naming him Vigneshwara. Click here to read the full story.

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Ganesha’s Vaahana

Illustration: Vidhulaa Nagendran

According to Hindu rituals, any offering made to the divinities have to first begin with Ganesha. The elephant-headed god is always accompanied by a tiny mouse or a mooshak. Although in some of his avatars he does trade his mouse for another vaahana, his traditional form always has a mooshak by his side. Here are some interesting facts about Ganesha’s rodent friend.

  • According to the Ganesha Purana, the gandharva Krauncha was cursed by a sage to turn into a rat, who then went on to serve Ganesha as his vaahana.
  • According to another Puranic legend, Gajamukha the demon defeated by Ganesha in battle. He was then turned into a mooshak by Ganesha.
  • The mooshak is worshipped on the eleventh day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
  • The mooshak symbolises the ego that can nibble away all virtues and must be subdued.
  • The mooshak is also a symbol of the minute details of a subject.
  • The mooshak represents wisdom, talent and intelligence that Ganesha presides over.