There is no doubt that the Ganesh festival or Ganesh Utsav in Trinidad and Tobago has grown tremendously. However, the growth of this festival has and will continue to meet a host of development problems if left unchecked by spiritual leaders of organizations heading such mass celebrations. Note that the emphasis is on spiritual leaders who head credible Hindu organizations and not any and anyone who wishes to celebrate this religious occasion by leaving out the important element of spirituality and a proper understanding of what the festival truly means.
A major problem in the preparation and celebration of this event is the reiteration of static discourses and restricted symbolisms of Ganesh Bhagwan. Lord Ganesh symbolizes many things but the physical representation of this form of God is significant for Hindus to note. It is very clear that for some, the ego, self-importance and false pride determine the number, choice and size of these murtis as people measure the successes of their celebration in this way. A celebration can grow with many more murtis but the most important aspect that needs to grow along with it is the growth of one’s spirituality.
It is unfortunate that some have inflated their ego to such an extent that they view a bigger Lord Ganesh as a better representation of the divine without the essential focus of their own personal growth and development. Devotees flaunt their inflated egos and as such fail to realize that the festival is supposed to represent the deflation and dissolution of one’s ego and any false sense of reality. As it is in the beginning, so shall it be in the end. This festival should remind people of their own mortality and the humility that one should possess, understanding oneself as atman pursuing oneness with Paramaatman.
It is ironic that Lord Ganesh is understood and worshipped as one who is in control of the ego,yet devotees allow their negative qualities to rule their individual choices and actions. We are reminded of how Lord Ganesh humbled the god of wealth-Kubera, who flaunted his many riches and acquisitions to the world. Lord Ganesh absolutely destroyed his ego, consuming all of the food, furniture and possessions that Kubera was so proud of. Lord Ganesh wants us to understand that the most important quality is that of humility. If year after year, devotees become skewed by their own sense of self-importance, then the festival loses its vigour and its vibration. A man of humility is few and far between. It is a necessary sacrifice to maintain one’s temporary acquisitions for without that humble streak, a man’s social standing diminishes tremendously, whoever it may be, pundit, professional, politician or pauper.
Why do we lose the importance of our festivals so easily? We are the creators and destroyers of our own happiness and success. As such, our lives as represented by those clay forms of Lord Ganesh, represent the care and attention that we devote to building, crafting and designing temporary structures that support us, be it our finances, education and social networks, where in the end, they are all dissolved by the force of time. There is nothing built by man that can stand the test of time. Each devotee is urged year after year to stay focused, understand your purpose and move onward, forward and godward.
Pt. Varistha Persad
