Ganapati and the Free Indian Mind : The Young India

Kartikey Sehgal

It was while protecting his mother and home from outsiders that child Ganapati lost his head in a battle with his father Shiva. Subsequently, on Shiva’s orders, the head of the animal which lay with its head facing the the northern direction was fitted to Ganesh’s body. And Indians worship Ganapati as the protector of homes. As a person/God/with form/formless who binds the family. When we praise the family structure in India, we praise Ganesha. That is why Hindu homes establish his place at the entrance.

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During a recent visit for Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, I found Ganapati at the entrance, decorated and adorned, and Krishna devotees bowed before him or joined their hands before entering the home. Gods are one; there is no competition between Gods in India. I mentioned to an acquaintance about my desire to attend Onam celebrations in Kerala. I picturise Onam with boat races in the backwaters in Kerala. I may forget the philosophical elements of the festival but I don’t forget the Snake Boat Races and the Kaikottikali dance. It is such a brilliant idea to invoke culture and art in a festival involving Gods.

Go Onam

I mention Onam because Kerala is currently enthralled in Onam celebrations. And because Ganapati celebrations also invoke art and culture; Ganesha is knows as the Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles; he is the patron of arts and sciences; he signifies intellect and wisdom. Ganesha mantras are recited by students that are appearing for their examinations. Ganapati is smart, so he is also designed as:

Imagine. A God with an elephant face is the the patron of sciences. When a child leaves home for an examination, his mother tells him to remember Ganesha. A professor of science remembers him before working on his next experiment. My school teacher, a popular man, known for his wizardry in mathematics, and who would later be appointed as the school principal was (is) an ardent devotee of Ganesha. An acquaintance had informed me that my teacher would sit absorbed in concentration and chant mantras. And if you didn’t do your homework, then even Ganesha couldn’t help you.

Whilst free from your routine, absorbed in a beverage, with the horizon as your company, you may like to ponder if it is myth that presides over scientific minds. You may like to use the term ‘philosophy’ in place of ‘myth’. It is the philosophy of talent—that you are obliged to listen to yourself and to work in accordance with your elements— that inspires people to turn to Ganapati, so that they are praying to their own qualities while praying to Him. As a devotee, you are attending to your own army of talent; your ganas; and you are the boss of your talents, the pati (Lord) of your ganas (elements). Therefore, Ganapati brings out the best in you. And you remember him before you do your work, so you can be like him while doing your work. Therefore, while sipping your beverage and reflecting on science and philosophy, remember that they are related, at least in India. And that an elephant faced God inspires science and reminds you to be scientific.

The photo of the jacket-clad Ganapati (above) is from writer Atul Tiwari’s home, amidst his library. Perhaps he placed it there purposefully to identify himself with the Lord of Wisdom. A good choice.

This stained glass painting of Ganapati is the work of Subuhi Kaul, a medical student. It was presented to us to mark the beginning of a musical project. Gods are gifts; they are holy and they are gifts. As such there is no obstinacy or strictness observed in respect to their representation. An old lady who strictly observes her daily prayers will not curse you if you present to her a colourful Ganapati. I can expect her to marvel at the colours and the differently shaped body and eyes. Ganapati can also be:

This was found at a happy gathering of poets and writers. The food was well-cooked but the speeches were long. At the same function the Goddess Saraswati was invoked since she represents knowledge and arts. Of course, Gods are interchangeable. If the image of Saraswati is not available, then the image of Ganesha or Shiva or any other God can be used to begin the

ceremony. This easiness comes from an assurance that Indian Gods are broadminded; they are not out there to punish you; they are smart; they were celebrated during Aryabhatta, Asoka and Chandragupta. An alien might think aloud; “why must Gods be strict and cruel?”; the alien is not influenced by the human thoughts on God on earth. Similarly, to an Indian mind, having brought up being friendly with the Gods, hazardous Gods don’t make sense. An infant told to behave lest Ganesha punishes him grows up to realise the wisdom in the idol, so that the God is not relegated to an idol but occupies a mental space among the flux of modernity. It is the inclusiveness of Indian philosophy—to look within the self—that grants the Indian the ability to stay steadfast to his ideals despite conflicting and antithetical ideas. Therefore, the idea of inclusiveness, that I am I, and, I am important, makes me concentrate on my self. Therefore, I don’t put our home Ganapati idol in the sea. I don’t, my father doesn’t, my grandfather didn’t.

You are staying with me, dude

I don’t miss putting him into the sea and I have never felt insecure or uneasy about the same. Devotees put their idols in the water and ask Ganesha to return quickly; my Ganesha stays with me and the word ‘my’ functions as an adjective here. He has been with us for at least ten years (maybe fifteen). Here’s another Ganapati that won’t be hitting the waves.

Ganesha is used here for an organization. The onus would now be to ensure that the surroundings remain clean and that the people don’t litter the beach. It would be futile to leave the work to Ganapati. Fate is work; the fate of any organization or individual would depend on the work, and what better way to work than to work like the elephant? I quote Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The enormous head of the elephant signifies Wisdom and Knowledge. Elephants don’t walk around obstacles, neither do they stop at them. They just remove them and keep walking straight on – signifying effortlessness.

Ganapati is coloured black here. The images of other Gods; Durga, Kali, Sai Baba and Shiva are placed around Ganapati. You can also place Vishnu and Krishna and other idols of your choice. While singing Ganapati praises, you can also sing praises of Rama and Krishna and Durga. If you don’t want to buy a Ganapati idol, you can draw one on paper or on a rock and pray to him. All’s cool; no hang-ups. Ganapati won’t mind. You can also sit at home and remember him and that too is fine with this God. If you are rich, then you can have big Ganapati idols like:

Photo: Sqn Ldr Anil Sehgal

This Ganapati idol is from Singapore. He looks slim to me; his trunk is not fat and his face looks chiselled when compared to the Indian Ganapati idols. This one is treadmill Ganapati, conscious of his diet. If Ganapati is a symbol, a reminder, then he must be adaptable to different countries. Adaptable to the point that he doesn’t lose his significance. A child painting his version of Ganapati in black and blue is fun. In time he will learn that the narrow eyes mean that you must focus on the goal and the big ears function as a filter of words; sabki suno apni maano (Listen to all, follow your heart/mind).

I stop here so I can publish this immediately. In the next story on Ganapati, I shall publish some photographs and a video of Ganapati celebrations.

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