Ganesh Chaturthi and the coconut problem

It was Ganesh Chaturthi – the birthday of the elephant-headed god Ganesha. There is an interesting story behind his creation. Even more interesting was how Ganesha solved my coconut problem today.

Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva was alone at home while Shiva spent aeons in deep meditation in the Himalayas. Feeling lonely, she created a boy out of clay and ghee, gave him life and started treating him as her son. One day, she went to bathe in the river instructing the boy to keep guard and not let anyone pass. As she was bathing Shiva came to visit and made his way to the river. However, the boy did not let him pass despite his demands to be let through. Angered by his obduracy, Shiva cut off the boy’s head. He then went to find Parvati. She was deeply upset when informed of the murder of her son and started venting her anger at her husband. Contrite, he promised her that he would replace the boy’s head with the head of the first living creature he encounters. An elephant was passing by. So, Shiva promptly took its head and installed it on the boy. He was named Ganesha meaning king of elephants. And everyone lived happily ever after, except of course half the elephant.

Ganesha or Ganapathy is also called Vighneshwara – the god who removes obstacles. Hindus across India worship Ganesha for this quality. People perform special puja, ritualistic worship, when they start a new venture. Almost every Hindu home, shop, car, tuk tuk, motor cycle, briefcase, wallet .. has a little idol or image of Ganesha. Such is the faith reposed in him. Although born a Hindu, I don’t practice the religion – either overtly or covertly. But today I had a problem and I like to believe Ganesha solved it for me.

My wife asked me to get some vegetables including a coconut so she could make a feast for Ganesh Chaturthy. I went to a nearby shop but they had run out of coconuts. So, I returned home with a bag full of vegetables but no coconut. If you know South Indian cooking you will also know that coconut is an essential ingredient – it is the potato in jacket potato, the milk in latte, the cream in strawberry and cream. It plays a major role in flavouring, garnishing and seasoning vegetables. It is also used to make traditional sweets during Ganesh Chaturthy. So, when I returned sans coconut, my wife was not pleased. Fortunately, I kept my head. Eventually, we were reconciled to make do without coconut. This is when my wife scalded her finger in the kitchen. I was dispatched again to get some Burnol.

After purchasing the ointment, I decided to take a different route back home. Then I noticed a little Ganesh temple constructed on the pedestrian way. It was a fully functioning temple complete with two priests, a fine idol of Ganesha, garlands of flowers, lamps and bells. Let me collect some prasad for my elderly mother in law, I thought. I stood in front of the idol and folded my hands in supplication. The priest waved a copper plate brimming with marigold and hibiscus flowers, burning oil lamps in little clay pots, vermillion and holy ashes above and around my head and chanted a prayer in Sanskrit asking Vigneshwara to remove the obstacles in my path. The smell of burning camphor and warm coconut oil wafted towards me from the idol and there I was – for all practical purposes a devout Hindu like any other, paying obeisance to the Remover of Obstacles. I accepted the prasad – the remnants of the offering presented to the gods. Hidden among the flowers and the sweetmeats and the vermillion was half a coconut.