Celebrating Ganesha's Birthday- Vinayaka Chathurthi

 It is only fitting that i do this post today, celebrating Ganesha's birthday- Vinayaka Chathurthi as we call it. I have done a few posts earlier i recall.. Ah, here they are  ...

Today, gramma did the puja at 7am unlike the usual 9-10am. We were all up, ready and waiting for the priest by 6.30am..

I love collecting Ganesha idols,  and it has me feeling good every time someone gifts me a Ganesha idol- irrespective of what it is made of or how big or small it is. I wish i had a space to show them off, but for now some are in the living room curio, some in puja room, some near the computer and others in my cupboard.

 

Ganesha ready for the puja 

3 new ganesha's in my collection... 2 smaller ones are made of glass[shall try getting a better pic]

Ganesha reminds me of my trip to Goa. Why? well, during my visit, one day i headed out to Old Goa- where i also managed to visit an old Portugese house. I wish i had been more interested in history, would have dug deeper to learn about the owners and their lifestyle back in the days..

So, as i wandered through the rooms, noticing the little details on the curtains and sofa corners. As I turned a corner i was in for a lovely surprise. I spotted not one, but 2 small rooms with a towering cupboard fitted with glass doors. What did they hold? Shelves filled with Ganesha idols- small, big, clay, stone, metal, and just about every other material you can dream off, some were standing, some lying down, while others were playing musical instruments. It was such a treat. I spotted a guide leading a group of eager tourists wandering to the very room. Stood ground to see if i could catch some insight into this.

 

One cupboard filled with Ganesha idols

And lo behold, he was telling them how a Portugese family had once lived in the house, very wealthy family with a Brahmin cook. Years later, when the cook had passed away and they were ready to leave Goa,  the child in the family insisted they leave the Ganesha collection intact... Sweet child & lovely gesture!

Do you have any interesting Ganesha Stories? Do share.... Happy Vinayaka Chathurthi...

Skywatch Friday- Where the sea meets the sky

How I wish i could switch off this life and get away, disappear? Maybe to a place where i know no one and there is nothing but the ocean and clear blue skies for company? The only place that comes to mind is Pondicherry. The last time I was there was a year ago, sigh, time sure seems to fly... Walking along the ocean, as the sun rose into the sky, watching it shimmer in the crystal water was a sight that can only be experienced and not described. 

 

Early morning walkers and joggers went about their routine, fruit and juice vendors were just setting up their stalls as i strolled along the pavement. The grey walls of the building on the other side of the road shimmered in the morning sun. The ocean played music in my ears, as I forgot the world for a few brief moments. 

Even though you cannot go to the water in this stretch of the beach, there is a certain sense of peace that sets in amidst the buzz. The little town transforms, coming alive as day sets in, more so towards late evening. People are walking in groups, sometimes with a child running along, or a dog trotting beside them. Popcorn, sugar candy, ice cream vendors throng the shore line. Kuri josiyam [ a different form of palmistry] ladies trot from person to person trying to get a client and make them part with a few 100 rupees.

 

The Gandhi statue amidst the tall pillars stands out, above all the hustle and bustle around. Pondicherry is a town i can visit over and over, and everytime it brings a smile on my face, and i come back with a new experience. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday... Bridge over the Indian Ocean

I have been wanting to visit Rameswaram for as long as i can remember. But it just dint seem to happen. Gramma told me "Rameswaram & Kasi are places you should not annouce your desire to visit, it will not happen"... Hmm, i dint know if this was true or a myth, but i took a vow not to tell anyone of my desire to visit the place. And lo behold, towards 2nd half of the year, a friend called saying she was planning a trip to Rameswaram and if i would wanna come along... :-)

Imagine my surprise and joy!! I immediately said yes, even though she was going with her aunt-uncle, and few other family members. It dint matter, i knew her and they were ok with me coming along. 

Tickets were booked, plans were made and within a month, i was there, in Rameswaram. We had driven down from Madurai in a cab, stayed over at ISCON guest house and spent 2 days finishing off all that she had been advised to do at the temple. From there, we drove back to Madurai, stopping over for a few minutes on the Pamban bridge to soak in its beauty. The railway track runs parallel to the ocean, and we promised each other to do another trip to Rameswaram via rail. From the bridge, the ocean looked turquoise, shimmering against the afternoon sky, crystal clear. There were a few boats bobbing in the water and a small group of buildings afar. 

Within minutes we heard the tinkle of a cycle bell and spotted a vendor selling raw mango with spice powder. What a treat those were, we gobbled them up like hungry kids and kept running from one side of the bridge to the other to see there was any difference. 

Alas, we realised we had to get back on the road as we had a train to catch that night from Madurai. But the bridge, the ocean, the destination remain in my mind fresh, even today.

 

Do you see what we saw??? 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday