Myself, my wife and her sister in
law went for festival shopping on the
eve of Gowri Ganesha festival
to Sarakki area near Banashankari vegetable market. We
went a day earlier, to ensure we
get a good bargain. It was a little
early in the evening and the shopper’s were trickling in.
We could see
different variety of flowers in all its hues and colors beckoning us to pick them and transferred us into
the pre – festive mood. It was as if
all the different colors of flowers were sent down to earth, in anticipation
of the arrival of Lord Ganesha
on Monday.
In what other way we mere mortals can celebrate
the festival other than decking the god with variety of colorful flowers like Savantige, Mallige, Sugandha raja, Rosu, chendu hoova , kanakambra and variety of
fruits of all shapes and sizes. ( flower names are kannada names of the flowers)
Most of the shopper’s were hardened
value pickers. They may be buying only 250
grams of one variety of flower but they will inquire at five different locations
along a one kilometer route. Finally they decide to buy at one place and the
moment the flowers are being weighed, they glance on the other side of the road
and the same flower appears more brighter there. They are in two minds and the impatience
of the husband makes them to finish the deal there itself. For the husbands all the side appears green and
rosy, since he is watching all the flower buyers sorry all the flowers.
The festivals are a great leveler
for all the sections of the society. Some may buy. less quantity of items and
some more quantity but the spirit of the
festival remains the same. The
entire city gets engulfed in the festival mood.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak was instrumental in converting a
private household Ganesh chaturthi celebrations into a gala public event.
The beauty of the festival is it brings all people together.
I observed so many sellers, some selling only betel
nuts, some selling one type of
flower, some all types of flowers, some
different varieties of fruits but all of them having
a gleam in their eyes in expectation of
making a decent money and able to celebrate in their own small way, the
festival back at their home with their family.
Wishing everyone a happy weekend and a great festival. Do not worry about gulping more modaks, Lord Ganesha likes people being a little plumpy.
Signing of in anticipation of Modaks.
