Ganpati Bappa Morya... Pudhcya Varshi....

I remember how eagerly I waited for this festival because it would not just mean a visit from my favourite deity but also being a little helper to my Narayan Kaka! Although my help back then would be restricted to staying up late in the night while my Kaka prepared the most beautiful ‘makhar’ year after year J

All the 9 days were filled with sheer joy and bliss. The joy of my ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ family union and the bliss of my personal conversations with my dearest Ganpati Bappa every second that I found him alone! Even as a child my conversations never included a wish list; it was either a simple hi or many a times, lots of questions, to which He promptly replied with a smile J

The 10^th day; however, was never so blissful, not because it was His time to return but because I would be scared… very scared! I was scared of hordes of His followers on the streets some dancing, some drunk and some screaming.

The Juhu Chaupati, which I loved to visit with my Mangal Aatya on any given day, would become a site to avoid. As a kid I would fear separating from my folks, and that fear would be evident in every kid at Juhu Chaupati that night. The fear of coming face to face with a malicious stranger kept the parents fiercely protective against every unknown smile.

The last day fiasco still haunts me. And with each passing year it gets scarier because it comes with a new problem …. And I have no solution but to ask Ganapti Bappa Himself to stay put in his heavenly abode.

Dearest Ganpati Bappa,

It was indeed pleasant to have you at our home this time around too, it was special because we decorated your ‘makhar’ J

The reason for writing this is a request … now don’t roll your elephant eyes thinking it’s a mannat; but seriously, do you mind skipping a visit or two, next year onwards because:

1. Although you are here with us, I do not feel your presence anymore. Not because I have grown up & question your existence but because I don’t hear you smile. My ears are too busy protecting themselves from the blasting songs such as ‘Munni Badnaam hui darling tere liye…’
2. All your followers pray to you and ask for forgiveness while conveniently ignoring the other lives they hurt unknowingly, I don’t question your justice but I don’t understand it
3. The kids love you dearly but many share my fear especially when these celebrations begin with loud and polluting firecrackers!
4. The animals all around, the stray and the pets are equally petrified and you see that fear in their eyes but then again it’s too noisy around for their soft voices to reach you and I am not saying this because I have pets!
5. Trust me, the elders ( grandparents/ senior citizens) too resent this fiasco
6. Lokmanya Tilak started ‘Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav’ with a cause of bringing about an awakening but that very cause is lost!
7. The government has been trying to put a leash on the anti social activities/ elements that are rampant during such festivals, but the results are for all to see…

Lastly, I have been praying to you to bless these ‘Ganesh Mitra mandals’ with a little bit of wisdom and compassion, sorry to say, but I have seen only the reverse effects so far … and now… I am left with no choice but to say….Ganpati Bappa Moryaaaaa… Pudhcya Varshi Yeuch Naka!

P.S. Our culture vultures would probably raid my home if they read this blog!

Thank You :)

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
Guide us through the starry night,
and wake us with the morning's light.
I ask not for myself alone,
but for thy children--every one.

Yes, we all are God’s children… and he has given all of us a guardian angel who watches over us. I have always wondered, the reason why a soul takes birth, it cannot be merely to go through the same routine? Why do some of us suffer all the time and the rest remain untouched by the smallest suffering in the world? Why do our loved ones part when we need them the most? Why do we worship idols when God is omnipresent? Do we need to hail God through mantras to secure a place in heaven? Who said that if the wife dies before the husband, she is pious? Is God so cheap to be tricked with a ‘mannat’?

You are free to criticise but my questions were answered by this wonderful book and I must thank the God for allowing his laws to be re-explained to us on Earth. Big thanks to God, to Ratoo, Vispi and their wonderful parents, Khurshed and Rumi Bhavnagri.

Although I have read only 1/10th of the book, it has answered many of such questions that continue to havoc my mind and thus my life. Today, I understand that there is no other objective or mission to our lives but to rise to a new spiritual maturity. This does not mean that one should give up on all the worldly comforts and ways of life. It only means that one should be true to themselves and to every creation of God. It’s as simple as analyzing the very statistical data at our office. Just take a look back at your life and analyze what you have done so far… have you harmed or hurt anyone? Have you cheated anyone? Have you misused anyone for your own selfish motives?

Being selfish is not a vice but being too selfless, definitely is! But you should understand how selfish or selfless you must be … and that’s why we are here…
Being pretentious is not cunning, but justifying it in a prayer is! Being judgmental isn’t unjust provided you judge yourself well…
Being hurt every time doesn’t make the world a devil’s lair but merely one’s immaturity to deal with situations and learning from them…

God has given us birth to mature our souls and rise to the higher realms. I don’t know how mature I am or will be in this life but I know that I have found answers and peace within… I no longer question God’s wisdom for I know that he brings me at a point where the road forks and that’s where I choose… I live …I learn.

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Thank you for another day,
A chance to learn, a chance to play
Amen

Goodness Gracious!

It’s a lazy Saturday morning and the first thought I have today is to write something about God! I see people all around me praying, some genuinely thank Him and some bribe Him for something or someone they desire the most, as if He is a government officer! If that’s not enough by ‘God’s grace’ their wish materializes they tell everyone to go to that place and pray for what they want. Strange are God’s ways of dealing with people, sometimes I wonder if He falls for their bribes! Although I have never met these set of people, but I find them very amusing, let’s call them the ‘Bribesmen’.

These ‘Bribesmen’ comprise of people from both sections of the society, the classes and masses. I don’t blame the masses but the classes surprise me all the time! The classes are born with a silver spoon and are gifted with almost every other metal one could ask for in their lives, they still crave for more! They go to every temple, they pray, they give away a lot in charity, they perform pujas and ‘shantis’ for their well being, hoping to please God and eventually get what they want! And if God does not give in to their demands, they blame Him for not paying heed! Idiots, did He ever ask you to put so much of your efforts in these things in the first place? Had you put those efforts in moving an inch closer to what you want, you could have reached there by now!Just as the old saying goes, God helps those, who help themselves!
God created us and gifted us with the power to create our destiny by giving us this amazing organ called brain, and a conscience that can help you choose the right from wrong. Do we still need to make a genie out of God?