President’s Message
HOLY VIBES
Like everything in the lockdown, the annual Ganpathi festival has been a revelation.
Whether you are a devout believer, an atheist or neutral observer, the festival has come at a time when we have witnessed the absolute worst (we now have the largest per day rise in covid19 victims of any country) and absolute best (peaceful aartis at home) of human history.
Humans are social beings, especially Indians who thrive during festivals, bringing communities together in loud exuberance. While we accept everyone’s right to practice as they please, in a normal year traffic would have been altered, aartis and music would have blared through loudspeakers and 10 days of festivities would have ensued ending in visarjans that would bring with them pollution of all kinds. Over the years this has inconvenienced many during an as it is difficult city life.
However, today we observed peaceful home aarits, with family and friends joining in via online platforms and visarjans of home idols in buckets and it has restored to true values behind the festival – blessing, harmony, loyalty. Ganesha was created in a completely human form by the Goddess Parvati. She moulded him from clay or the earth from her own body (versions vary) and gave it life. Tasked to stand guard at her door, he barred the path of Lord Shiva who tried to enter in the human form. Lord Shiva furious at being denied entry into his own home beheaded Ganesha. He knew his wife would be furious. So he bought back the head of the first creature he came across – an elephant with one tusk. Shiva bought Ganesha back to life and thus his story is considered one of rebirth and regeneration. Ganesh Chaturthi is the festival celebrating the rebirth of Lord Ganesha.
Here’s hoping this year his blessings bring about the rebirth and regeneration we all need…
Framroze Mehta
President