Ganpati Bappa Morya !!

Living in Mumbai there are something’s one has to learn. One of them is celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. I am not saying that we have to learn to celebrate or learn to enjoy the festival which was once a symbol of unity. We have to learn how to tolerate the abuse in the name of almighty lord. The festival which was started in a small temple in Pune by respected Bal Gangadhar Tilak to unite all Indians against colonial rule of England now has turned his face. Good turns to Evil at some point of time and this is turning to be an example of it, good turning evil.

One would be thinking that I am talking about the pollution it causes to the city be it polluting the ocean, polluting the air or crossing the decibel limits with party songs creating an huge amount of noise pollution. These are just the tip of the iceberg. Real evil is the pollution of minds and pollution of behavior to an extent where some of them start treating themselves as the agent of God himself.

If you live in Mumbai, Pune or any city of the Maharashtra, you will know what I am talking about. Collecting money has become a fashion, if not a requirement. Few receipts can make your life miserable if you are fond of bargaining, especially if you are not a Marathi speaking cast. Yes, I would call it a cast, because behavior is similar i.e. hate other casts and they are no different.

One of the incidences will prove what I want to say here. It was Sunday morning and bunch of people rang the door bell asking for some donation for the Ganesh Chaturthi which they were going to setup just outside the colony. ‘But we have already donated to the people who came yesterday’ the guy said from the house.

‘That was for your colony, this is for the area’

At first it was too much for the guy but then if there are bunch of goons standing on your door, who would like to argue. He just went inside, came out and gave them a hundred rupee note.

‘Do we look like a beggar to you? You will spend thousands for your comforts, but when it comes for God you will shy away. You non-Marathi’s come here and then disrespect our God. We won’t take less than five hundred.’

What option is left? Can you take a stand against this? We all know where this money goes; surely not a penny from it is spent for a good cause. The soon you refuse to give those five hundreds. You are the one disrespecting THEIR God, which was supposed to be yours too. You are in front of a gang of goons, shouting, abusing and threatening to you and your family. All others around will come and start blaming you for not respecting the God and for creating a scene just for few rupees, so much that you start thinking about leaving the place and settle somewhere else. Is it just few rupees? And moreover is it a matter of money? Doesn’t a donation is something which a man does with his own will? If not, why it is even called a donation? Call it a ransom, call it a threat.

It so much threat that women and girls avoid crossing the mandap alone, huge amount of money is collected for a special queue which will take you to the idol faster, higher the money nearer you can reach the god. Donate a gold crown and you will be made to sit in the lap of the God. This is how it works now.

A beautiful event and a respectful festival, is slowly losing its value, its charm and its dignity. But then as it is said no Good can be good forever, slowly, eventually it turns to Evil.
In the end Ganpati bappa morya (oh Ganpati ! My Lord)!! all you already know …