Ganesh Chaturthi

Tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi. Ramesh, who's favorite god is Ganesha looks forward to this day very eagerly each year. Each year, he will buy a new idol and for that he does not mind roaming on the streets of Ajmer till late. He does not stop his search, till he is able to see his god in an mud statue.

He will very religiously decorate the god with flowers and leaves and ensure his mother prepares Ganesha's favorite goodies.

He does not like saying good bye to his god and hence does not submerge the idol in water, instead each year he replaces the statue in his cupboard with the new idol he bought and puts the old one in the Attic.

There are currently 5 idols in the Attic. Its 12 pm at night, everyone has slept. 5 statues can see Ramesh sleeping peacefully, they know that the first thing Ramesh would do tomorrow is to go out and get an new idol. The Ganesha's in attic started talking to the Ganesha in cupboard, i wonder where Ramesh will make you sit, the attic is almost full. I hope he does not force fit you here, its already bit crowded here. Till now we managed, because we know how much he loves us. If tomorrow, he makes you sit with us, it would mean, he does not care for us.

The 5 year old Ganesha said, i don't think he will do that, i still remember when he put me here 5 years back, he was so sad to do that. He ensured the attic is all clean, he put clean paper to ensure i do not get any scratch. I am sure, Ramesh will figure out some other place.

The 1 year old Ganesh freaked out hearing this, you do not know these youngsters, their love is very superficial. For them we are just decorating pieces. Do they follow what we believe in? I remember someone gifted my statue to a couple on marriage, for them i was cute, something that would look good in their drawing room, i meant nothing more than that. I hate it when they call me the cute. They just know, how to do blind puja and at the end they always have a huge list of "wishes". God please take care of this/give me this, i will not ask you anything ever and the very next year they will have a new list, correction the next day they don't wait a whole year.

They make promises of fasting for a month, taking 100 rounds around my statue on bare feet, do i really care?

Once they do all this, its not that they stop there...they will tell about their great achievement to 100 people.
You know, my son fasted for 10 days, he is a staunch worshipper of Ganesh. Alas she does not know, her son is doing it for getting a promotion.

One hearing this, all other Ganesha's blasted the 1 year old, i know some devotees are like this, but our Ramesh is not like that. The 1 year old said, we will know tomorrow how good Ramesh is. It will be decided by the fate of the cupboard Ganesh and us.

Ramesh got up the next day at 6 am, 1 hour earlier than his normal routine, got ready quickly and rushed out of the home, told mom that he will have breakfast, only once he is back with the idol for this year.

1 year old said, see here he goes, he did not bother even to check if there is space in the attic. The other Ganeshas did not say anything.

Ramesh went to the Meena market, which was famous for murthies. In the market, he saw lot of school kids roaming around trying to find Ganesha of their liking. He felt good, seeing the enthusiasm of the kids.

Ramesh liked one Ganesh statue, in which Ganesh was depicted as writing the Mahabharatha. Ramesh called his father on cell and told him about the idol, his father was pleased and was bit amused at his son's childish enthusiasm, as if he has found some treasure.

The whole family did Ganesha Puja, the next day, time came for the Ganesha to be put in some other place. Ramesh came to his room, bowed in front of the Ganesh in the cup board, decided to make space in the attic and then shift the Ganesha.

Ramesh moved the 4 year old Ganesha bit closer to the 5 year, seeing that the 1 year old said....i told you. The other Ganeshas were still silent, as per them the agni pariksha was still not over. Ramesh realised after moving the 1 year old that the space was not enough for the Ganesha in cup board.

He put all the Ganeshas back to there older place and came down. The older Ganesha's gave a big grin to the 1 year old. The 1 year old said, the problem is still not solved, lets see what he does now.

Ramesh felt angry at himself for not having checked the space in attic, while he was walking to and fro in balcony, he saw a sparrow making a nest, he saw the sparrow gathering twigs from an abandoned nest and using it for making the nest.

Ramesh left the house without telling anyone, he came back in an hour, put all the Ganesha's in attic, the Ganesha in the cup board and the new Ganesha in his car and started driving. The 1 year old said, i think he has decided to immerse us in river....see i told you, for him also we are just pieces of decoration, which have now become not beautiful. To this comment, the 5 year old said, why is he taking the new one also then? The 1 year old could not think of why.

Ramesh stopped the car after driving a distance, the Ganeshas could see a person, making beautiful idols. Ramesh lifted each idol with care and put it on the ground and said, i would like you all to be remolded so that you can go to new houses, who need you for your blessings. I think i was stupid in trying to hold on to you. From now one, i will buy idol but return it back so that can be used to spread joy to others.