Vinayaka Chavithi Celebrations.

[KR SUBRAHMANYAM]

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I am settled in Secunderabad for more than 5 decades.

As in Mumbai, Vinayaka Chavithi is celebrated in Twin Cities of Hyderabad
and Secunderabad on a grand scale. That is, huge Ganesh Idols are
kept spending lakhs/crores of rupees for 9 to 11 days.

Year after year, the number of such Pandals are increasing.

While I do believe in God, I feel sad that crores of rupees are spent for such celebrations. In a country like ours, where many poor people live and where many bright students are unable to pursue higher studies for want of money, would it not better if such people are helped instead of wasting so much money on the celebration of Vinayaka Chavithi.

KR SUBRAHMANYAM
Secunderabad.

 

[renuka]

I am settled in Secunderabad for more than 5 decades.

As in Mumbai, Vinayaka Chavithi is celebrated in Twin Cities of Hyderabad
and Secunderabad on a grand scale. That is, huge Ganesh Idols are
kept spending lakhs/crores of rupees for 9 to 11 days.

Year after year, the number of such Pandals are increasing.

While I do believe in God, I feel sad that crores of rupees are spent for such celebrations. In a country like ours, where many poor people live and where many bright students are unable to pursue higher studies for want of money, would it not better if such people are helped instead of wasting so much money on the celebration of Vinayaka Chavithi.

KR SUBRAHMANYAM
Secunderabad.

Dear sir,

I agree with you..moderation in celebration should be the key.

 

[mkrishna100]

I am settled in Secunderabad for more than 5 decades.

As in Mumbai, Vinayaka Chavithi is celebrated in Twin Cities of Hyderabad
and Secunderabad on a grand scale. That is, huge Ganesh Idols are
kept spending lakhs/crores of rupees for 9 to 11 days.

Year after year, the number of such Pandals are increasing.

While I do believe in God, I feel sad that crores of rupees are spent for such celebrations. In a country like ours, where many poor people live and where many bright students are unable to pursue higher studies for want of money, would it not better if such people are helped instead of wasting so much money on the celebration of Vinayaka Chavithi.

KR SUBRAHMANYAM
Secunderabad.

Mr.Subrahmanyam

I very much accept your views . Bal Gangadhar Tilak gave a new life to the freedom struggle using the Ganesh Chatutri Celebrations as a platform for the same and hence it is celebrated in Mumbai /Maharashtra in a grand way .That is ok as they have a tradition .
But in Chennai now every street has more than 1 big Ganeshas and just for prestige and pomp sake each and every big guy is keeping one big Ganesha to show off . As per law they are perfectly entitled to keep it and I accept the same .
What I find worrying are the following things :
1) Providing security to each big Ganesha .
In order no one does mischief to the Ganesha during night / day that can lead to a communal riot ,I found that near each Ganesha 2 Policeman are standing Guard taking morning and evening shifts . Calculate how many policeman will be on duty for the Ganesh Chaturti period .They cant move anywhere and they just have to keep sitting by the Ganesha .
A police van with a Senior police Officer keeps moving round and round just to check all the Ganeshas have adequate protection .
I see this in my own area which is full of Brahmins and hence chance of communal disturbance is less but imagine the same in a communal sensitive area how much police presence and vigilance is needed .

2) The Eco Aspect of Making Ganesha
I do not know how many of these Ganeshas are made of Eco friendly material .Though lot of Court Verdicts have come in warning people not to use toxic chemicals to make the Ganesha ,I do not know whether it is strictly enforced .

3) Immersing the Ganesha's in the sea / river
It is a very big headache for the traffic police and the regular police to devise proper routes for these Ganeshas to be taken without any communal /traffic disturbance .Lot of Police force is mobilized for the same .
The way in which the Ganeshas are carried in the cranes and broken and dumped in the sea is really not a pleasant sight .


All said and done ,I do respect the rights of the Hindus to celebrate Ganesh Chaturti as per their wish without violating the law .But I feel that if the Organizers of these Ganesh Pandals and big Hindu Organizations like Hindu Munnani , RSS ,VHP etc join together and see to it that they have Ganesh Pandals only in selected areas and not in every street and locality then it would lessen the burden of the law agencies in protecting them .Plus a large amount of money can be put to better use in maintaining many old temples in Tamil Nadu that do not even have proper Oil for the lamps .

 

[vgane]

The festivals are an occasion to show our feisty Hindu culture...Our religion was the most non proselytysing when compared with other religions...At times we need to tell our own brethren & remind them of ther cultural moorings...It increases social bonding....It is an occasion to feel happy about

2 to 3 decades back these festivals were not celebrated with all the pomp & grandeur in Tamil Nadu..With the spirited effort of the Hindu organizations the festivals are celerated with grandeur (but not on a scale of Mumbai)

Mumbai comes in a sea of Ganesh idols during the 10 day Ganesh festival....The Navrathri is also celebrated in a grand manner there.

Yes, there are issues relating to business funding these...There are issues relating to environment...We need to install ecofriendly material as idols so that our rivers do not get spoilt...

Let us remind our readers that 4 decades back EVR burnt Ganesh idols & garlanded the idols of those whom we revere (Lord Rama) with chappals...We have come a long way though...But let us not loose this momentum...We have taken only baby steps.....We have to weather more travails to reach our destination

 

[prasad1]

I understand the traffic problems caused by these celebrations, I also support Mr. Vgane's point about eco-friendly ideas.
These celebrations may not mean spiritual enlivenments. But it is a legal way of expressing themselves. The city or state should charge a set of fees for each pandal to pay for police and other agencies.

In addition to the religious purpose there is a business reason to have these functions. All the vendors, artist and Taxi wallas making a lot of money, there is joy in children getting gifts, and there is anticipation among common folks.

You can not expect a poor person enjoying a simple pleasure of going to a pandal with saving a south Indian temple.
If you asked a child in Mumbai, whether he would have a candy or donate it to preservation of south Indian temple, you do not have to guess the reply. So let us accept that both are needs, but are distinct and separate.

 

[manoharkumar]

The festivals are an occasion to show our feisty Hindu culture...Our religion was the most non proselytysing when compared with other religions...At times we need to tell our own brethren & remind them of ther cultural moorings...It increases social bonding....It is an occasion to feel happy about

Totally support the views Of Shri.Vgane. If we cannot have the celebration here where then can we have them? Govt.is doing much for the old temples renovation and Asthigaas are also donating huge some of money in the renovation of the temples in their villages or their places of birth etc. We have seen so much happening in that area.
Now a days even the big temple are putting in the notice board of people enjoying the temple facilities of building etc but do not pay the rent in time. So much is being done and people are pouring in money in the hundi also for the temple maintenance. But if we daily go to the temple and at least drop a few Re.10/ in the hundi that will be helpful. Do we go the temples regularly?
Let us enjoy the coming together of the hindu brethren because of such celebrations.
Cheers.

 

[r_lakshminarasimhan]

Too much of knowledge is also a problem...That should be the issue few decades back…
People slowly loosened their routines…nitya anushtana Karma’s…
When someone knows the shortcut to reach a destination...he does that…?But they forget to think that not all can travel the same path….Like a select few can do a trecking to reach a hill top temple..the rest have to depend on a transport or atleast have to walk the paved route...
This I see as root of the problem…question all the instructions & directions given by the Acharya’s /Guru’s (yester years)…That’s also the difference talked about in corporate world on the Indian mindset & Japanese mindset….It all boil down to questioning the master or the BOSS …that too continuously….While both extreme’s are danger..Why are we not using our wisdom to balance ourselves for greater good?

 

[renuka]

Too much of knowledge is also a problem...That should be the issue few decades back…
People slowly loosened their routines…nitya anushtana Karma’s…
When someone knows the shortcut to reach a destination...he does that…?But they forget to think that not all can travel the same path….Like a select few can do a trecking to reach a hill top temple..the rest have to depend on a transport or atleast have to walk the paved route...
This I see as root of the problem…question all the instructions & directions given by the Acharya’s /Guru’s (yester years)…That’s also the difference talked about in corporate world on the Indian mindset & Japanese mindset….It all boil down to questioning the master or the BOSS …that too continuously….While both extreme’s are danger..Why are we not using our wisdom to balance ourselves for greater good?

Lord Krishna paved the way for humanity to question and answer..The Bhagavad Geeta is the best Q and A ever for entire humanity.

I think its just that we do not want to question cos we might not be happy to hear the answers.

 

[r_lakshminarasimhan]

Also wanted to add an info that i recently heard..Lord Ganesha has the human body & elephant face to symbolise the big wisdom he carries in his head..& also to convey that wisdom can win over the body..The purpose of pillayar Kuttu & Thoppu karnam (left brain controls the rightside body & right brian controls the leftside body..hence we crosss our hands during our thoppukarnams) are for nervous stimulation / activation.. Let's also understand & pass the right facts on our customs to our children...

 

[renuka]

Also wanted to add an info that i recently heard..Lord Ganesha has the human body & elephant face to symbolise the big wisdom he carries in his head..& also to convey that wisdom can win over the body..The purpose of pillayar Kuttu & Thoppu karnam (left brain controls the rightside body & right brian controls the leftside body..hence we crosss our hands during our thoppukarnams) are for nervous stimulation / activation.. Let's also understand & pass the right facts on our customs to our children...

I agree with you..cos we need to see the significance behind each story in our Puranas.

If we follow without understanding we would land up like the case of "Fetch a Cat and Cover it Under a Basket" syndrome.

This is supposed to have been passed on for generations from an orthodox Brahmin who had a pet cat that used to be a playful nuisance during religious ceremonies. So, before starting a longish ritual he used to ask his daughter: "Fetch the cat and cover it under the basket". The Brahmin has long been dead and gone and so too the pet cat. But his descendants who only recall their ancient's injunction, with 'the' replaced by 'a', take all the trouble to find a cat and a suitable basket to cover it.



gpsastry: April 2012

 

[r_lakshminarasimhan]

Many times blindly following the righteous person will give us a better life or better results.My stand is to strike a balance where possible ...

While it is appreciated we discuss such topics in the blog..I could not see the connection with the people on ground who celebrate such functions in a grand way...Like , in TN the auto unions organise these celebrations in a grand way..may be with some backing....

Are there any environmental activists protesting the hazardous chemicaly painted Ganesha ..?Or did any government dare to put any regulation for making such idols within the acceptable norms..We understand the problems & also can suggest few solutions..but who are the takers??? the whole point of discussion & opinion sharing will be complete only when it changes or infuences the actual people who are part of it....This is relevant to many topics discussed in this forum...It is a question of invoking the conciousness of the people to serve ,embrace humanity thro' such festivals & bring in peace.

 

[prasad1]

Many times blindly following the righteous person will give us a better life or better results.

That is a dangerous statement fraught with dangerous results.
Who is righteous person? How do we find him?
Unless it is Krishna Himself, and we are like Bhisma, we have to question and judge for ourself. Otherwise you will loose financially as well as spiritually.

 

[r_lakshminarasimhan]

Shri.Prasad - Firstly, i have read many of ur posts..You come up with good points...

For this, I have also added that we need to strike a balance....I would agree if someone is blindly followed or accepted ...Any conscious choice of surrender/following will not become a disaster in my opinion...Let us take a typical blind person following a normal person for his travel needs ...Does that conclude the normal person will rob the blind one..? It is only adding an element of risk that too will be eliminated if the normal person is not a stranger..i am not referring any exceptions while mentioning my views...

 

[venkat2206]

Dear All,

IN life we cannot stop everything by saying that with that amount of money we can light lamps in many temples or we can give the money to poor children for their education. Certain festivals are very much essential and call for a grand celeberations. I am in Mumbai and have seen very many such mandals. Also, these mandals are rendering very many social services with the help of the money they collect during the Ganesh Chaturthi celeberations.

One such mandal is very famous and the Lord in this mandal is called as "Lalbaugh's Raja". Lalbaugh is the place in which this mandal is situated. There are two queues in this mandal - one for feet darshan and one for face darshan. People who go their wishes fulfilled, whose prayers are solved by God stand in the queue for Feet Darshan. At times, they have to stand in the queue for more than 36 hours. This shows their faith in God Ganesha.

On the day of immersion, there is a place enroute where the Muslims give their offerings to the God. Even today this is being practiced. God Ganesha helps in communal harmony during this period of celeberation.

Offerings in this temple in the form of Gold / Silver etc are auctioned in presence of general public and detailed accounts are maintained for such collections, besides the collection of cash in Hundi.

The mandal is actively involved in various social services and render help to the needy people.

So, let us take part in such celeberations wholeheartedly.

Venkat K