Ganesh Chaturthi 2022

Ganesh Chaturthi, a renowned Indian festival, was celebrated yesterday by Hindus all around the world. The festival is celebrated based on Lord Ganesha's birth anniversary. Similar to that of Lord Krishna's that fell two weeks ago, parents conducted the event at home. 

Two days before the festival, our street had tube lights on one side, and a colorful sequence of Ganesha portraits was installed opposite our home, facing the backstreet, and a large one on the street corner, which I couldn't see from the balcony. So I have the one above, opposite us, and it was all arranged by the backstreet men. 

The Ganesh temple is on the backstreet, and every year the guys over there collect money from the residents to run the festival, which they have been doing for the past two weeks; the decorations, special prayer arrangements, and night procession were all done with that money. What they have spent is a partial amount, with the remainder going into their pockets, as I am sure this happens with most of the temples where the local boys administer the festival. 

My father bought a medium-sized clay idol of Ganesha, from temporary roadside stalls, for worship, and I find the clay idol to be beautiful in shape with drawn eyes (and other elements) rather than a standard red-black pod jutting out of the face and festooned with crown flowers adorning Ganesh's neck. Mom then embellished the idol with jewels and other flowers and performed puja while preparing meals and other ingredients. 

After the worship, the clay idol was immersed in a pail of water to dissolve in the water later that evening. Typically, clay idols will be dissolved in adjacent water bodies; we used to do the same around 13 years ago, or until we adapted the idea of dissolving the clay idol in a bucket of water and using the muddy water for gardening. Some have recently proposed the novel notion of creating idols with a seed inside and then burying the idol to help grow trees. 

After a long wait, the Ganesh procession from the backstreet temple arrived at our house at 11 p.m., after going around all the streets in our neighborhood. Because we are at one end of the road, the procession too terminates there and returns to the temple. I was in bed by the time the promenade arrived at our house, so dad took a few photos from the balcony while mum went down to worship the Ganesha in the procession. And the day ends. 

Haiku: Pain

Confining!

Stretch your arms,

Embrace as much as you can, 

When you can stretch your arms 

Why do you restrain yourself?

Loving oneself isn't wrong

But rejecting someone who longs!

I try to embrace 

You, slipping out of my grip 

Thinking as I'm imprisoning you

And squeeze you to death.

I know, over-gripping makes breathlessness 

But running away makes you feel the same.

I'm not to hurt anybody 

But trying to live and let others do the same.

The Fogg!

I don't follow cricket!

Someone could find my statement amusing, especially when it comes from someone from a cricket-loving country. But that isn't the point here. It's Fogg! 

My father is a huge cricket fan, and now he's obsessed with the India-Zimbabwe match. I have no choice but to look at the TV now and then because I spend most of my time in the living room either reading or working on a laptop, checking my phone, or simply relaxing. I look at the screen and see if someone hit 4 or 6, and I am always neutral when it comes to sports because winning and losing are common for every team or nation. 

My issue, though, is not with cricket, but with the advertising that appears between overs or at key moments, particularly the Fogg commercial (link for one of the ADs). Though most of the commercials are meaningless, and I don't want to dig into them, the Fogg commercial disturbs me, possibly because it creates an incorrect perception of attractive men. 

The advertisements (there are three on the same concept) depict two girls flirting with a man (their faces aren't displayed) and conversing between themselves, with one expressing a desire for him while the other saying something in Hindi, their expressions and the word "perfume" reveals that he didn't wear perfume and the other showing a disappointed face. 

The ad clearly and incorrectly implies that males who do not apply perfume are not attractive to look at or perceived to be handsome. It could be a business strategy, but consider people who do not wear perfume, such as myself. I agree that we need some elements to smell good, but it cannot be mandatory, and not everyone needs it. 

Adults can comprehend the business behind the commercial ad, but the younger generation may misinterpret the notion and begin thinking about or placing value on perfume. For boys, many believe that only if they use perfume will girls notice them or look after perfumed boys. 

Perfumes are already harmful to one's health, and if one doesn't really need them, they shouldn't wear them at all, but these commercials reinforce that if you're either smart or handsome, you need to smell good to take into account! I've had problems with perfume before, but not with myself. Someone's carelessness once harmed me, and when they realized what was wrong, they restricted its use solely in front of me. 

Advertisers should be socially conscious and consider the public because ads cannot be seen only by their intended customers. Is it ethical to dismiss a performance because he(she) does not smell good or used perfume? Please, advertisers, exercise your common sense! huh 

Krishna Jayanthi and Kids!

Krishna Jayanthi is a Hindu festival celebrated in India and wherever Indians live around the world to mark the anniversary of Lord Krishna's birth. Krishna is worshipped in the guise of a child on this day because it is his birthday, and thus young mothers easily associate the celebration with their child. The festival is held today. 

Every family with a child enthusiastically celebrates the occasion. Beyond a religious celebration, it has evolved into a children's festival, with families that have children under the age of five taking advantage of the opportunity to dress their children as Krishna (if a boy) or (for girls) his wife Ratha. 

Schools, like homes, celebrate the occasion by requesting kids to come to school dressed as Krishna or Ratha on this day or the day before or following the festival. I sense a compulsion forming during the festival; a compulsion from one's friends and family circle compel  (asking haven't you dressed your child) one not to miss the event, even if they aren't interested. 

Every child raised in a Hindu family seems to dress up as Krishna, and I, like my cousins, was no exception. I don't remember dressing as Krishna, but I have the photographs to prove it. Back then, we dressed as Krishna from a piece cut down of dad's Dothi and mom's jewels as ornaments. Today, however, they sell a ready-made Krishna costume for children. 

Though every festival and day has become commercial these days, Krishna Jayanthi also joined the eve; aside from the sales/buying of ready-made sweets and refreshments, which were previously homemade, the Dothi and other ornaments (as a set) have also added to relieve parents. I wasn't surprised to see a television commercial promoting the special Dothi intended for kids to tie on Krishna Jayanthi; my sister-in-law is concerned that she missed the ad because she purchased a set locally and early to dress my little nephew Kavin!  

Kavin as Krishna

My nephews, Kavin and Jeswanth, dressed up as Krishna. Jeswanth dressed as Krishna for the second time; he was 4 months old last year and cooperated well, but this year he refused to participate, and we could only put a Dothi and a flower band on him. Kavin's brows were decorated while he slept, and he had no idea how to remove the ornaments. Though they were ready to come out on their own, we managed to hold things on him sometimes and took photos. Below were the two in their respective costumes.

Jeswanth in his simple look with a peacock feather on his flower band and pearl-like chain.

A screenshot of Kavin from my facebook story.

Jeswanth in his costume from the side.