A day out with the LORD, after a long time

Vinkaya Chavithi (Ganesh Chathurdi as it is called in the Northen Parts of India) is a very big festival in Southern India. The festival marks the birth of Ganesha –the Lord who wards off all the bad things that come along in your life.

Being home for the festival after six years; that’s a long period- thanks to the hostel life for the graduate course and then, to the demanding corporates for the living :), was a great moment. The journey of 350 kms in a ‘luxury’ state transport co-operation bus (I am not naming the state wantedly) government bus in just under 6-hrs time was heavy on me. Though I was energetic about being at home for the festival, this tedious journey (if at all you could call it) took out most of the energy I had. Why else, would I doze off during those auspicious hours of early morning on bed even after instructing my brother(s) ( A close friend of mine was as well there) to get themselves ready for the Pooja? 1

All those days during childhood replayed themselves even after my selves being 20-something (Old is GOLD). Both mom and dad try to get their son up so that he could make himself tidy and clean enough so that the God Ganesha could at least see him on the auspcious day. One-hour of their hard work paid off at last, as I got up to take a oil-bath in a time – well that’s the good part – the time sufficient enough for a Michael Schumacher to stand on the podium after completing the race at his home F1 circuit. 2

After a lot of hula-bula about who to arrange what, finally the pooja started – my mind half into the kitchen of the things that I could have for lunch. Here I need to explain to refrain wrong interpretations - There is a reason for this, in India people don’t eat much (infact, they should not eat) till the time pooja is over. Then the Katha was told (the story about the importance of Vinayaka Chavithia and the importance of the GOD).

I would put in the story that was read – I really like it the same way, just the same way I liked it when I was 10-something.

Yudhistara, the eldest of the five Pandavas, during his tenure of serving the 13-year exile having lost the battle of dices (People, that’s why I say – DON’T PLAY GAMES THAT DEPEND ON YOUR LUCK, THEY COULD GET YOUR VERY LUCKY) goes to Sage Sutha for advice how to better his situation. The sage tells him that he should perform the Vinkaya Pooja so that all his bad-days become history. He also tells him, that Lord Krishna and Lord Rama had also performed the same during their difficult times – the former when the “Shamantaka” Mani (to put it simple – a diamond) and the latter during his exile from Ayodhya – to better their present.

That was the good part – the story – but the best part was about to come, the FOOD – a feast because it was a festival day. How could I be on a diet3 when I am blessed with nicely decorated mameede kaaya pappu (Simply, Mango Dal), rice with all other things made by mom. Just let my selves loose on the menu, so much so that it was really hard to stand my selves on my feet. But for my brother, I would have helped my selves to lie on the floor for the next few hours.

Off late4, any festival isn’t complete without watching a film of the biggest star in the region (read: A Chiru Film in Andhra and A Rajni starrer in Tamil Natta). Luckily, it was INDRA – the blockbuster and I treated my selves with the dance of Chiru and the tunes of Mani; all this my dad was struck in awe to come to terms with how could one be so energetic about a 50-something playing a character on the small screen – Well Dad, that’s what Chiru is all about.

I don’t want to make the saddest part even more dramatic – I returned home by an “Express” bus of the same state transport cooperation.

P.S: All the above was said so that it could make a good read, the truths are (wherever marked):
1. I usually sleep till the sun is still three-quarters away from his destination at west. And my ‘brother for-a-change’ didn’t follow what I said.
2. I usually bath very fast – even faster than Schumi completing his fast lap from a pole position.
3. The last thing I would want in life is to be on a diet – no matter if I touch the both sides of road by being at the center.
4. I amn’t sure how the festival was complete in the days of my granny’s when there was no television.