Ganapati Visarjan – Facets
Kartikey Sehgal
The facets of Ganapati Visarjan. From ‘Langars’ to street dances to immersion.
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Kartikey Sehgal
The facets of Ganapati Visarjan. From ‘Langars’ to street dances to immersion.
Kartikey Sehgal
I had reviewed the ‘20th Pandit Durgalal Festival’ for the magazine ‘Nartanam’. Here are some photographs from the event.
The event is presented annually by danseuse Uma Dogra to commemorate the memory of Durgalal, her dance guru. Uma is the founder and Managing Director of ‘Sam Ved Society for Performing Arts’.
The three day festival began with a performance of light ghazals by Jagjit Singh. There was much demand for some of his popular ghazals but they served no …
Kartikey Sehgal
“I am talking about the poor people who are in touch with their country, their philosophy, Krishna and Ganapati; the people who told a model with half her chest exposed to cover it with a shawl so she could participate in the Ganapati festival freely. The ‘Slumdog’ variety wouldn’t do so; they would molest her”.
Are the men who celebrate Ganapati on the streets uncouth? Is there a system to civility?
Rich people dance at discos and other city spots that attract money. …
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 …
Kartikey Sehgal
But have you wondered, who is there to protect the men from women? Is their any festival that caters to demoralised men, wherein sisters promise brothers to protect them from evil women (or common women)?
The festival, Raksha Bandhan. Basically brothers get the Rakhi tied around their forearms/wrists by sisters and it means that we have to protect them and take care of them for the rest of our life. If this were true then the festival would be required only once per …
Kartikey Sehgal
[Why we celebrate Diwali: here and here.]
This Diwali, may you live up to your personal best.
When the road outside is lit with lamps and fireworks, may you find solace in your room with books and ideas. May you find solace anywhere you like.
May it be festive inside your self, so that when others greet you they don’t see decadence covered with a smile.
May you greet others with the entirety of confidence. You are not obliged to wish others. You can not change their life course with greeting cards and sweets. The best you can give them is your happiness.
Kartikey Sehgal
[The author visits a pandal during the Durga puja festival and appreciates the effort to make it an artistic event. Certain unconfirmed names have not been mentioned]
Festival is the celebration of culture. You don’t have to be an anthropologist to partake the songs, dances and Gods during the ongoing Durga Puja.
In the last three days, I have listened to Bengali music and listened to Rabindranath Tagore’s idea of music and literature.