BAPPA IS KNOCKING ON OUR DOORS

 



“Faith is to believe what you do not see;

the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”

Saint Augustine

 

‘Sankat me Venkat’. That’s what God – the Venkat – means to most of us. When everything is going fine for us, mostly, we remember Him out of a deeply-rooted habit – call it a tradition or ritual. God really makes sense to all of us when we are in trouble – sankat!

Well, if what I just said sounds sacrilegious, "Lord have mercy on me – this sinner!”

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi… The adorable Bappa is at our doors. I saw this picture doing rounds on social media…

 



 

Bappa doesn’t fail to amuse us, fascinate and inspire us… The ‘us’ includes all – young and old, the littles babies even… Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Jains, Christians all love Him. They all believe,  that this Lord with an elephant trunk, listens… That, He is compassionate, approachable and adorable. Hence, they all go to Him in the times of their  tests and tribulations… They go to Him before embarking upon any venture – big or small… He is the Vigneshwara – the Lord who is believed to protect us from danger and distress… He is the Lord who is believed to grant us every wish, which we sincerely ask for…

The legend has it, that, more than two centuries ago, Deubai Patil, a rich childless Agri woman, funded the humble temple where today’s revered Siddivinayak shrine stands at Mumbai’s Prabhadevi. She sincerely hoped, that Bappa would grant the wish of every barren woman like her!

That’s the kind of simple faith, upon which,  most of the revered shrines have been raised everywhere in the world… There is a story – a legend – behind every shrine, that causes the vibration and attracts the faithful… Anyone who has walked miles and miles along the streets of Mumbai, in the wee hours of Tuesday mornings, to seek Bappa’s darshan, knows what I am saying… The bare-foot walk to Bappa’s shrine is the unmistakable symbol of humility, faith and sacrifice… We, invariably, go there in times of our anguish and uncertainty more than in times of our gratitude…

Bappa will forgive me if I am wrong. But, to me, He remains the quintessential Venkat in our sankat!

If so, so be it!





A week ago, my 87-year-old mother, who lives in my hometown (Mangalore), had a fall and had her hipbone fractured. She was operated and, presently, she is recovering in a hospital. The recovery has been slow and is taking a toll on everyone around… She lives with my eldest brother and his wife… Rest of her sons, including me, are away from her. My youngest brother, Vivek, who lives in Mumbai, has gone to see her, be around her and do whatever bit he can. Last morning, when I called him up, I learnt, that he, accompanied by one of my nephews, was on his way to the revered St. Lawrence shrine at Attur, near our hometown. Just as people folk to Bappa in times of their sankat, thousands of people folk to St. Lawrence’s shrine at Attur in their testing times… “He is the one who listens… He is the one who takes away our load,” this has been the simple faith of every man and woman who go to Attur…

And, there is a story – a legend – behind this shrine, too!





Faith, as Jesus Christ said, is the tiny mustard seed that can move mountains!





Today is the day, when Bappa comes to our homes… There shall be a knock on our doors...

Hope, we hear the knock…

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic’s: 1. Dino Uniyal/Pixels 2 & 3 Unknown source 4.  Wikipedia

Video: Sandeep Patangay

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