by Ramanand Kowta

What ( not Who) is G-O-D ? It is an acronym for *G *enaration \ Creation \ Birth, *O *peration \Sustenance \ maintenance \ Life, *D *estruction\ Dissolution \ Death governed by the symbolic GODS Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively.This happens every moment, i.e ' Change alone is Constant, Absolute and Permanent. Therefore, said the wise sages, DO NOT CLING \ GET ATTACHED - to anything ! This TRUTH was sought to be conveyed, subtly, especially to children, through the Ganesh Festival wherein a cute, colourful, little idol of Ganpati was made and merrily brought home. Generous merriment and feasting on sweets ( modaks etc) happened in the name of the Lord ! Then the idol was immersed in a water body. Even this self procured ' joy ' had to be given away ! What control can we have on the unexpected \ uninvited ( A – Tithee) ' joys & sorrows' ? The chant ' Pudhchya Varshee Lavkar Yaa ' emphasised the cyclic nature of all events !

This was sustainable and relevant when the idols were made of local materials, worshipped with local flowers and leaves (not plucked but those that had fallen down after they had done their ' Dharma ' of Photosynthesis and Pollination) and immersed in the local water body. Our large scale celebrations only Linearise this simple Cyclical process and make it a real nuisance for all involved !

Now, instead of visiting the trees for worship ( meant to prevent their destruction) we bring home their branches, flowers ( Dasara, Vatapournima etc) and discard them as garbage ! What Piety!!

Thus, we create the VIGHNA s (obstacles) and then try to ' bribe' the VIGHNA - HARTA ( Lord Ganesh) to remove ( Hara) them !

Instead, let us motivate children to make their own cute little Ganpatis, paint them and immerse them in a bucket of water. this can be used to water and nourish the plants in their garden !