THE BROKEN TUSK OF LORD GANESH
Pic.: Chetna Shetty
What is endearing to see, here in Mumbai, is
the amazing fact that Ganesh idol is kept and worshiped by almost every kind
of person – regardless of religion, class or creed. Mighty rich and the
downright poor, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, yes almost all rejoicing in the Ganeshotsav… And, the Visarjan... Little
ponds and lakes, vast rivers and seas… Lord Ganesh is sent off in any of them…
But, it was not
so, where I grew up – Mangalore. Only the members of GSB (Goud Saraswat Brahmins) – the Konkani
community – would keep Ganesh idol at their places… and, on the final day,
immersed the Lord’s idol at the wells in their compound. It was a quiet,
dignified affair… Mostly a private one.
What
I remember the most about it is, that, our next-door land-lady had a GSB
tenant. Now, the land-lady was a Christian and had her rigid mindset. She would
never allow her tenant to immerse the idol in the well in their compound. So,
they approached my mom,. She gladly allowed our neighbors to immerse the idol
in our well. Thus, for close to a decade, till they shifted to another place,
Lord Ganesh idol continued to seek its final abode in our well…
I
was doing my degree college, then… and, just beginning to show more interest in
studies… particularly in expressing myself well through my writings… Prof.
Raman had come in my life to inspire me to become a teacher and writer like
him… But, I did not know, that my passion for writing had something to do with
the well-water I was drinking!
The
legend has it that the great Vyasa muni had requested Lord Ganesh to write the
Epic – Mahabharata. Lord Ganesh had agreed to do it on the condition that Vyasa
muni should dictate to him all in one go, without any interruption. To this,
the great sage had wittily put a counter condition that Ganesh should never
write it without understanding what he was writing! Thus, the deal was struck…
and, the Holy Book – with its priceless jewel called ‘Bhagvad Gita’ – was born.
However, during the course of writing, Lord Ganesh’s feather-pen broke, and not
wanting to break the promise, He immediately cut a portion of one of his tusks,
and continued to write with it!
Lord
Ganesh, for this reason, is worshipped as the God of knowledge… Yes, apart from
the fact that he is, also, worshiped as ‘Vigneshwara’
– the God of protection!
So,
as the beats of drums, sound of music and the loud chants – ‘Ganpati bappa morya’ – surround me from
all around, I can sense that quiet space from where these lines stem…
I am
happy, that my mom – a devout Christian – had gladly allowed our neighbors to
immerse Lord Ganesh idol in our well…
For
ten long years, as a young boy, I was blessed to drink this holy water!
Wishing all of you a happy Ganesh Chaturthi. May
the Lord bless you all with abundant knowledge, and, also, guard you, always.
GERALD
D’CUNHA
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- Henna