Elephant Headed God Enlivens Bombay

BOMBAY (Reuters) - Thousands of years ago Shiva, one of the three most powerful Gods in the Hindu pantheon, flew into a rage and beheaded a young lad who barred his entry into Kailash, his snow-clad mountain abode. When he later realised the boy was ...

BOMBAY (Reuters) - Thousands of years ago Shiva, one of the three most powerful Gods in the Hindu pantheon, flew into a rage and beheaded a young lad who barred his entry into Kailash, his snow-clad mountain abode. When he later realised the boy was created by his wife Parvati during his absence, Shiva brought him back to life by slaying an elephant and giving him the animal`s head. Thus was created Ganesh, or Ganpati, one of the best-loved of Indian gods, who is celebrated on Wednesday in an annual ritual that brings to life all the colour of ancient Hindu mythology. Ganesh Chaturthi, the most vibrant of all festivals in India`s western state of Maharashtra, is a 10-day affair during which devotees worship brightly painted clay idols of Ganesh. The finale comes when hundreds of thousands of people carry the idols amidst the beating of drums and cymbals to the city`s beaches and immerse them in the water in a farewell ritual. That is when Bombay`s streets and beaches, dripping with humidity night, break out into colourful anarchy. For years, Ganesh Chaturthi was a personal or private affair, celebrated within homes. But at the turn of the century, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a fighter for freedom from British rule, converted it into a public affair, using it as a platform for political propaganda. In recent years, Bombay`s residents have begun to complain that the public celebrations have degenerated into drunken revelry and that organisers of the biggest Ganesh events were criminals who threw money around to gain popularity. Part of the reason for the popularity of the Ganesh festival is that it allows devotees to mould their own Ganesh, who is revered as a symbol of good luck. Unlike other deities where any changes shown in its image could be considered sacrilegious, the Ganesh can be depicted in any way - dancing, standing on top of the world or lying down. Over the years devotees have created several poses for the pot-bellied Ganesh who travels on the back of a mouse. Ganesh`s adaptability to the times has even taken him to the Internet where his images are available on a website.

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