Now is the season of Mythology

Hello there,

The season of the festivals is here. Starting from now till December, there will be a festival every fortnight until January when the harvest season in Tamil Nadu will culminate with Pongal. Mother Earth's bounty will be celebrated with pomp and grandeur in every house. But the explanation of this grand festival will be reserved for the first month of the new year (which to my belief will be here before u know it, the semester has begun!!!! REMEMBER... Cursing me for reminding u during a weekend is not going to change the truth)

Back to the subject, Today is Vinayagar Chathurthi (popularly known as Ganesh Chathurthi in the rest of India). Being a Tamilian, it feels strange to call our own Kutti (little) Vinayagar by any other name. Though He is the one with a million names, Vinayagar is my favorite and He stands first in the list of a thousand Gods that we worship. He has a special place in the hearts of students, job hunters, "bride" hunters (do not take that literally), etc. U get the idea, He is the one who

Removes obstacles from ur path
Gives u courage, determination and luck to get u where u want to be
Fights to keep evil off ur path
Acts as ur invisible guide to walk through ur journey BY u all the way until THE END

Today is celebrated as His birthday. Yes, u all know that.. But do u know the amazing mythology behind it. If u do, kindly refresh ur memory...

LOCATION CHANGE

Just Married Goddess Parvathi and Lord Shiva in Kailash (or Kailai, as we call it). Picture white snow everywhere with the soothing OM echoing off the peaks. Shiva is happy, this year's financial problems have been minimal and there was good rain for the Earthlings (this means us..people living on Earth). Peace reigns supreme.

Parvathi like all women (no offense meant to the other sex) goes her restroom, which is a palatial pool with a shower shaped like a swan's beak, to take a bath. The pool has no guards. Being a shy, new bride in Kailash, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

(Prior knowledge required: Divine women wear turmeric on their skin, a good sunbloc, mind u, since they live at these great heights. Turmeric is also very well known as a degreaser (oil remover). And this is just for the skin, there are other good values in turmeric. It is a anti-carcinogenic substance. Not exactly a bio-chemist to prove this but i heard that this has been proved. So next time u see ur mom putting a pinch of turmeric while cooking ur food, u know where and why it began.)

She scoops out the turmeric from Her skin and rolls it up into a ball which She shapes into a cute, little boy. She gives Him life with Her divine touch, plays with His tiny hands and feet for a while and asks Him to watch the door for anybody coming in unannounced. The chubby little child kisses His mother and agrees. This child will later be known as Vinayagar. Just as Parvathi walks into the pool, Shiva enters the house. Looking the way He does, with matted hair and tiger skin on His back and ash (Viboodi) applied all over His well built body, Vinayaga gets cautious. The child warns this strange guy to get out of the house. Shiva resists and warns the child to get out of His way. After all, this is Shiva's house and the child is an intruder there. A vigorous battle ensues but Parvathi has no clue of what is going on outside her restroom (a prelude to what will happen for centuries to come in every home). At the end, Shiva, very well known for his temper, flies into a rage and cuts the child's head off. The child lies in two pieces. Parvathi walks in during this and stands shell shocked. She explains the child's existence to Shiva and pours Her heart out.

Shiva, calm now, realises His mistake and says that He will walk out and kill the first animal He finds and bring its blood to fuse the head and the body of His son. (The first instance of organ rejection during transplantation and how it is overcome.) He finds an elephant, cuts the head off and brings it home with fresh blood dripping. He lays it near the child and takes some blood from it. He splashes the blood on the child's body and lo behold!!! instead of the child's beautiful head, the elephant's head fuses with the child's body. Parvathi utters a cry of agony to see the beautiful head lying untouched and the child with the head of an elephant. But what is done is done, Shiva gives life to the child and names him Vinayaga (one who will remove obstacles because he sacrificed his life trying to save His mother's grace).

There are so many other adventures of Lord Vinayaga where He helps others overcome their fears and obtain what they truly deserve.

Infinite eons have passed since then and Vinayaga is now a man. He is looking for a beautiful wife for himself. But since He knows no other women other than His mother and since He saw Her near the pond for the first time, He still sits as a statue near most ponds in Tamil Nadu waiting for the right girl to walk past Him.

Then.....magic happens....

Jai Ganapathi, Stay with everyone as we embark on a new semester.

Arcindya