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Saturday, August 30, 2014

Ganesh Chaturthi





This year

we make idols of clay mud,

sifting little stones

in the mud, I replace

 those pockets with my baggage,

moulding with touch-drops of water

in this dry spell

I let my excesses bind, concrete,

decked up  for a journey, sans foot-

prints, which would see

these idols to the sea,

they would be swept away by frothy gurgles

in this dry spell

the decorations shimmer ….

death rattles

pulling away those dear to me,

I make an umbrella for the idol, now seated

in the puja room

away from this dry spell
 
 


 

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated every year in India. Lord Ganesh is one of the prominent deities worshiped in India. He is considered an epitome of success and any new beginning is marked by worshipping him. It is believed that once in a year he comes to visit his people, stays with them for ten days and takes away all their sorrows. After ten days, the idols are immersed in water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6 comments:

  1. What a wonderful insight into the traditions of others.. to break the dry spell and entering the world where umbrellas are needed sounds like a necessity.

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  2. that's an interesting tradition... also the immersing them in water after the ten days are over... i remember when my husband was in india there were those celebration days and it was difficult to get to the airport because the streets were jammed with people celebrating

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  3. what a really cool tradition/ritual...the making of the idol...the acknowledgement of the dry spell...and perhaps in the making the taking away of that dry spell as well.....very cool

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  4. Great to know of such traditions! Idols may have a way of making them happen without us really trying! Great lines Akila!

    Hank

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  5. Interesting write here. Rituals of others always kept me wondering. Well done.

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