The Anatomy Of Peace: Mind, Body And Soul

This article was carried by news portal newswithchai on March 26, 2015.

The Anatomy Of Peace: Mind, Body And Soul ~ Hariharan Iyer

POSTED BY NEWS WITH CHAI - MARCH 26, 2015 ⋅

The body, with which we identify so deeply, is actually a solidified form of energy, which we have mistaken to be matter. It is matter alright, but it’s form has manifested from formless energy. Just as a potter can give any shape to his clay, energy can attain any kind of shape. The beginning of understanding lies in the appreciation of energy as the essence of existence and not matter.

A human being goes through many small life changing events. Yes, there are major experiences that change your life forever in some way. But truth is it is the series of small experiences that keep impacting your life continuously. I have felt this deeply over the years as I keep going from one life changing experience to another.

Having said this, what brought about an institutionalised change in my life was the First Degree Reiki Seminar I attended in December 1993. That day something dramatic happened – I got introduced to myself. I was just 24 years old and had been meditating for the past four years, thanks to the shaktipat dikshaI received from my Guruji Dada Nakhate. While Dadaji’s divine touch at the center in between the eyebrows, much like the Guru-Shishya initiation parampara, was all grace, the Reiki training on that day was grace, science, introspection and inner opening – a package deal. I believe it is because of my Guru’s grace that I came into Reiki and life has never been the same again.

Reiki taught me two critical things that day: 1. I am responsible for my life and everything that happens in it and 2. My physical sickness was a result of my emotional and mental processes. This understanding was a massive opening as it unleashed in me a healing power I am enthralling in ever since. I was a sick child and till that day suffered from problems like weak digestion, nose bleeding and poor stamina. Reiki taught me that I was basically `sick` – in my thoughts and in my feelings.

In many ways what I learnt that day and teach now as a Reiki Grandmaster is common sense. The whole understanding emerged from a simple awareness that happy feelings create a healthy mind and body, and unhappiness creates an irritable mind and body. But simple as it may seem, it is difficult to accept this phenomenon. This emerges from a lack of holistic orientation in life.

The body, with which we identify so deeply, is actually a solidified form of energy, which we have mistaken to be matter. It is matter alright, but it’s form has manifested from formless energy. Just as a potter can give any shape to his clay, energy can attain any kind of shape. The beginning of understanding lies in the appreciation of energy as the essence of existence and not matter.

That day during the Reiki First Degree Seminar I acquired the quintessential understanding that emotions and physical well being have a deep connection. In fact, it may stun you to know that the visible body is an inept entity. Its harmonious functioning is purely dependent on the invisible forces of emotions and thoughts. This is contrary to what is normally understood – that the body is an independent entity in itself and sickness and health are factors which are caused by chance or are connected to nature’s whims.

While this may seem true given the strong tangibility of the physical, it rebels against the fundamental principle of inter-connectivity in nature. Everything in this universe is connected by an invisible but not unfelt thread, which binds people, objects, dynamics and perspectives in a manner both perplexing as well as wondrous. To think that the body, mind, emotions and spirit are disjointed independent entities co-existing in a single person smack of an understanding disorder which is creating havoc in the lives of people globally.

A holistic approach, rather than threatening you with an abstract existentiality, actually empowers you to take charge of your life and health. What could be more empowering to know that what you feel, what you think, how you behave can have a direct impact on your physical energies? Acceptance or realisation of this understanding helps you to take charge and do what is entirely in your control – change yourself. What could be more un-empowering than to believe that things happen by chance in your life, that you are a slave at the hands of `luck`?

Spiritual sciences like Reiki – yes, spirituality is the mother of science and it is not obligated to prove its worthiness to its child by proving its efficacy as a science, though a scientific approach to spirituality does help build greater connection with the real essence of life – explore the inner dimension of a human personality through both technique and satsangs,or put simply discussions and arguments. While there might exist a whole body of research on the mind-body connection, we can do this at our level and within ourselves everyday. All we need to do for that is, observe ourselves – our thoughts, our emotions and our behavior.

We are our own best teachers, provided we are ready to be good students of life. In the Reiki system we learn about the inner reasons for both common diseases like cold, cough, etc, as well as the life threatening ones. When we are armed with the understanding that cough is a result of lack of expression and headache is a function of intellectual conflict – just to take couple of simple examples – we can rise above our limitations and act on the inner weaknesses rather than hope for external solutions which are largely dependent upon somebody else’s intelligence, interpretation and knowledge.

In the Reiki Level 1 course, we help students analyse a range of diseases which can potentially offer sustainable solutions to long standing physical-mental-emotional issues and open up long-held blocks. Essentially, the whole discussion about the anatomy of peace is about who we are from the inside. The `outside` is an illusion, simply because we all are present even physically within the universe which is just ONE large entity without a beginning and an end. So everything is really within and `without` is just an imagination we can actually do without. So peace needs to be released from the clutches of both pieces of understanding as well as piecemeal understanding. A holistic approach to life is both empowering and enchanting. Let us weave in the pieces together to form a whole rather than get stuck with the parts which just appear to be the whole.

Article Contributed By: Hariharan Iyer, who lives in Mumbai, is an Inspirational Speaker, Corporate Trainer, Author and Reiki Grandmaster. He is practicing meditation for over 25 years and Reiki for over 21 years. You can get more details of his work from his website www.lifetransformation.in. You can write to him onlifetransformation69@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: “The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the institutions to which he is affiliated, or the publication, or any of the members of the publication or its parent organization. newswithchai.in is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of newswithchai.in and newswithchai.in does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.”

Dear Diksha – A father's letter to his teenage daughter

Dear Diksha – A father's letter to his teenage daughter

You must always work to be a better person and constantly look to contribute towards the welfare of others because we live in a society where we share resources. Being a contributing citizen is not just a good quality, it is also our duty. Being ambitious is good, but you must also have a great heart that is ready to help people, especially those who do not have the same resources like we have.

In this blog I simply present a few passages from my new book `Dear Diksha – A father's letter to his teenage daughter`.

On Naming Diksha

We named you Diksha as it means spiritual initiation, for we have received initiations from our Gurus and as a Reiki teacher I give spiritual initiations myself. We wanted a daughter and had thought of your name even before you were born. God granted our wish and we gave you your very special name, though astrologically the letter P was suggested. Mom is very fond of the name Prakruti. We could have even named you Harita, a combination of Hari and Rita. But we settled for Diksha, as anyway `Harita` lives in your personality and you are a gift of nature, which is Prakruti. Nice justification, right?

On Bringing Up Diksha

I must say that Mom and I never really had a problem bringing you up. You have been an undemanding child. You respect us for what we are and you have accepted us as we are. You have never placed major materialistic demands on us which would have otherwise made life pretty difficult for us. We both are simple people but not without the aspiration to lead and give you too a materialistically much better life. As we engage ourselves in this journey we thank you for being the way you are. You are now old enough to even partner us in this journey. We thank you for another reason – for never comparing our lifestyle with that of your friends' families. It would have placed enormous pressure on us.

Life Gyan For Diksha

Yes, life is a journey, and so is success. Like you, I too learnt in school that success is a journey not a destination. But I never understood the true meaning of this statement until I undertook a journey of my own in 2009 when I decided to move out of my well paid job and start my own enterprise. The journey has been full of learning, many failures and some significant successes. What I have learnt and experienced in the past five years are simply indescribable. I have grown up even more in this journey. The journey has taken me to different places in India and two countries - UAE and Nepal – and brought me in touch with some absolutely amazing people on this planet. It also got me an award - the Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship and the Karmaveer Chakra - for my contribution to Reiki. I realised that my contribution when compared to the people I met at the conclive in New Delhi, where the award was given, is really minuscule. I would like you to familiarise yourself with some of the extraordinary people I met at the conclive by watching and listening to some speeches on YouTube.

At the conclive I met some real role models. They are not celebrities like film stars or sportsmen. They are the unsung heroes of society. They make small but mighty contributions to lives of ordinary people. I want you to understand that wanting to become rich or famous is not a wrong aspiration, but the approach to life must never be self-centric. You must always work to be a better person and constantly look to contribute towards the welfare of others because we live in a society where we share resources. Being a contributing citizen is not just a good quality, it is also our duty. Being ambitious is good, but you must also have a great heart that is ready to help people, especially those who do not have the same resources like we have. Be it in terms of knowledge, money or any other kind. You must lead life with a purpose and the purpose is Contribution. When you have a purpose, you will never have to seek motivation from outside. You will be self motivated and become a role model for others.

Ebook link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dear+diksha

Md. Rafi, Music, Heaven

Md. Rafi, Music, Heaven

Rafi was divinity personified. His voice instantly connected you to a realm of consciousness which can more appropriately be explored only through the discipline of meditation. While meditation needs you to close your eyes and urge your mind to direct itself towards a focal point, Rafi Saab's songs automatically make your eyes shut, mind focused and heart beat with a rhythm impossible to achieve through an intellectual procedure.

I have been a committed blogger for the past few years and have been trying to write on a variety of topics. Blogging is a wonderful way to express oneself beyond the expectations of the marketplace which any writer, desirous of being addressed as a `best-selling author`, cannot get away from. However, one of the subjects missing from a wide array of blogs I have written is one on Md. Rafi, especially given that I am such a huge Bollywood buff. I am correcting that anomaly through this piece.

One of the great things for an `abnormal` guy like me is that nobody looks at me with suspicion when I say I am a Md. Rafi fan. In fact, you would be counted amongst the abnormal and uncultured lot if you said you were not particularly a fan of India's most iconic singer. Yes, Rafi is not just representative of a great lineage of singers in our country, but is part of the overall Indian artistic tradition. When you think of music, you cannot but think of Rafi as a top-of-the-mind recall.
My generation grew up listening to Rafi Saab, Kishore Kumar, Lata Manageshkar and Asha Bhosale. My favourite has always been Rafi, simply for the divinity in his voice and the charm of his singing. In our growing up years, we are deeply influenced by certain public figures who leave a permanent impression on our psyche. Rafi Saab is one of them, besides my generation's other usual favourites like Sunil Gavaskar, Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. But what is incredible about Rafi is that over three decades after he passed away, far from his voice being silenced by the destiny of death, his songs reverberate with even more freshness.

Rafi was divinity personified. His voice instantly connected you to a realm of consciousness which can more appropriately be explored only through the discipline of meditation. While meditation needs you to close your eyes and urge your mind to direct itself towards a focal point, Rafi Saab's songs automatically make your eyes shut, mind focused and heart beat with a rhythm impossible to achieve through an intellectual procedure.

Hindi films, in general, have always been thought to provide a mechanism of escapism to tired masses from the humdrum realities of life by transporting them to an unreal reel life. But what Rafi achieved by leveraging the same platform was spiritual in nature – he provided joy when alive and continues to do. That truly is his legacy.

Rafi was not just a great and one-of-a-kind singer, but also a stupendous human being. His humility was legendary. His career evolved through tumultuous times in post-independence India and he sang songs with equal conviction across genres as well as those which represented part of any religious tradition. He was equally at ease with classical as well as non-classical and racy numbers.

No doubt, his talent, range and versatility are the stuff dreams are made of. It may even make one feel envious that one man can be bestowed with so much grace, while we mere mortals are left wondering about our own talents. After all, we all could so easily be singing for Rafi the song he rendered: `Khuda Bhi Aasmaan Se Jab Zameen Par Dekhta Hoga, Mere Mehboob Ko Kisane Banaya Sochata Hoga`.

But to attribute greatness merely to talent is grossly unfair. Sure, God perhaps constructed Rafi's voice in his own image, but what made him a legend amongst legends was his commitment and inventiveness. He ensured the actors he sang for received as much glory as his own singing by employing imagination and transporting himself into the shoes of the actors' personalities and roles.

While actors like Dilip Kumar and Shammi Kapoor made Rafi's voice their own, Rafi too made the actors' `voice` his own. That's why even today when we listen to a Rafi song, what simultaneously flashes across our mind is the image of the actors on screen lip-singing that song. You feel as if Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor or Dharmendra themselves are singing the song.

Rafi had this unique power to surrender himself to the character on screen, thereby ensuring that not just his, but also the actors' careers flourished. Today, when we think of a Shammi Kapoor or a Dev Anand, we think not just of their films, but also their songs. Today's generation of actors do not have this luxury. They need to fend for themselves purely on the basis of their talent and the roles they portray.

It is unfair to compare any modern day singer with Rafi, for Rafi was the original, whereas, everyone else, be they professional or bathroom singers like me, simply sing by picking up the threads from the Md. Rafi gharana. Rafi Saab was absolutely right when he sang `Tum Mujhe Yun Bhla Na Paoge. Jab Kabhi Bhi Sunoge Geet Mere Sang Sang Tum Bhi Gungunaoge`.

Generations to come will experience the Rafi magic, for Rafi Saab is not just part of our culture, he is part of the Indian consciousness. Rafi the person will be missed, but his music – Never. 

You Don't Need To Know Music To Appreciate Music

You Don't Need To Know Music To Appreciate Music

(This was carried as an article in eambalam.org in 2013)

It is no irony that every human being's singing career flourishes in the confines of a bathroom, for both music and time spent amidst running water everyday are liberating experiences. No wonder, many of us simply break into our favourite song as soon as we relieve ourselves of the garments that thus far sanctified us by protecting our morality.

When I received an invitation to write a blog from Ambalam for their website on Indian classical music and dance, I felt both honoured and amused. The closest I have come to appreciating carnatic classical music is through the songs of the Tamil film Sindhu Bhairavi and the Telegu film Shankara Bharanam. And the closest I have come to playing any form of carnatic music is by dabbling my fingers on an old, creeky harmonium at my place, courtesy a few lessons from a teacher many years ago as a kid.

I wondered whether the promoters at Ambalam had mistaken my innocent nods at one of the concerts in their premises to be my deep interest in the nuances of classical music. The truth is I was nodding out of sheer wonderment at the singer's ability to drag a few words and sentences in a rhythmic note of sorts, with the knowledgeable audience assembled there furiously engaged in appreciating the classical display of ragas.

My short cut to fame as a music lover comes from a curious and hidden place on Earth – the bathroom. I am a confirmed bathroom singer, and in the glorious solitude of the bathroom, with running water for support to lend whatever background score is possible, I too from time to time try my hand at singing the various film songs with hindustani or carnatic touch, far away from the glares and comments of critics. It is no irony that every human being's singing career flourishes in the confines of a bathroom, for both music and time spent amidst running water everyday are liberating experiences. No wonder, many of us simply break into our favourite song as soon as we relieve ourselves of the garments that thus far sanctified us by protecting our morality.

I have had an opportunity to attend a concert or two, and have always held in great reverence the classical performers who play something like the ghatam, or a nadaswaram, or twist their vocal chords to elicit from deep within them a rendition which holds you spellbound. An untrained singer like me has never understood the nuances of a raga – for me bhairavi is both the name of a girl as well as a raga; my knowledge of classical music ends there – yet, when I hear someone deliver it with panache, it provides a soothing effect which comes naturally, without even being able to comprehend the reason behind it.

Therein lies the real power of music delivered with a strong cultural base to it – which is what classical music is all about. The lyrics, singing methodology and play of instruments have a context based upon a story, being presented in a musical form. You need not intellectually comprehend its meaning, and can still end up appreciating it from a purely aesthetic perspective. If nothing, a well delivered recital performs the most basic function of relaxing your mental muscles, providing you with a few moments of relief from the humdrum unrhythmic responsibilities of life.

Being efficient at music requires the performer to be passionate about the chosen area. Even a music illiterate like me cannot escape the magic of a Kunnukudi Vaidyanathan on the violin, or a Chitti Babu on the veena, or an MS Subbalaxmi reciting Bhaja Govindam, because of their sheer involvement with the whole process of creating melodious sounds, making life itself seem like an orchestra. This just goes to show the immense power of classical, quality music to communciate, and provide an experience to the listener which transcends his own comprehension of its contents.

Truly, you don't need to know music to appreciate music. All you need is an ability to surrender your heart strings to the cords or chords – as the case may be – of an unlimited reservoir of creativity and intelligence bestowed on the world by the cosmos.

Why Geniuses Don't Make Great Leaders: Lessons From Cricket

Why Geniuses Don't Make Great Leaders: Lessons From Cricket

Geniuses like Sachin and Kohli perhaps unconsciously expect the same levels of ability from the people they lead. They cannot easily fathom why people cannot match up to their standards as it seems to come to them so naturally. As a leader, they tend to lose sight of the fact that while their less able colleagues can probably match up to their attitude, they cannot measure up to their skill. Bravado is not just attitude, it is also skill.

I am prompted to write this blog inspired by the result and leadership discussions surrounding the recently concluded Adelaide test between India and Australia. Virat Kohli, leading from the front in every sense of the term, engineered a brave chase on a fifth day pitch that eventually left Indian fans sobbing and Australia smiling.

Kohli, who made his debut as test captain, scored hundreds in both the innings and set up the possibility of a famous win, until he got out. The rest of the batsmen followed him to the pavilion in a hurry, reminiscent of the Sunil Gavaskar days and first half of Sachin Tendulkar's career..

Opinion is divided on whether Kohli did the right thing by instructing the team to go for a win, even though a more prudent course could have been to shut shop and play for a draw. In the quest to win a battle, India may now lose the war, with every likelihood of another 4-0 drubbing at the hands of the Aussies. My own take is that while the decision to go for a win was the mark of a true genius, who believes in his ability and in the habit of winning, it does not account for the technical as well as temperamental flaws in the other batsmen, especially when playing overseas.

This is typical of great individuals who become leaders. They excel as individuals, but fail to galvanise the team into a winning combination. This is not to write off Kohli as a leader – it is far too early to judge. The idea is to share a critical perspective concerning the art and science of leadership.

In cricket or in corporate life, geniuses hardly make inspiring leaders. In cricket, the country's greatest sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar failed as a captain. Sir Ian Botham, an iconic all rounder from England, failed as cricket captain. In our country, we remember Sunil Gavaskar more as a cricketing genius than as a great captain. Kapil Dev, though he won India the 1983 World Cup, was not seen as a great test match captain.

India's greatest cricket captain, notwithstanding MS Dhoni's record as skipper, is Saurav Ganguly, who himself was not an iconic batsman. One of cricket's most celebrated captains is Mike Brearley of England, who was more in the side for his leadership qualities than for his scoring ability. Just as Ganguly brought out best in Sehwag, Brearley brought the best out of Botham. Brearley also wrote a classic on leadership titled `The Art of Captaincy`. An exception was Imran Khan, who was both an iconic player as well as a terrific captain.

This phenomenon can be seen in corporates too. A great salesperson often does not make a great sales leader. Companies with charismatic CEOs hardly fail to sustain their performance either when the CEO's CQ (Charisma Quotient) goes down or he leaves the company.

There is a key reason why this happens. Kohli's hunger to win is admirable, but geniuses like him can lose sight of the fact that their colleagues carry less ability than them. Geniuses like Sachin and Kohli perhaps unconsciously expect the same levels of ability from the people they lead. They cannot easily fathom why people cannot match up to their standards as it seems to come to them so naturally. As a leader, they tend to lose sight of the fact that while their less able colleagues can probably match up to their attitude, they cannot measure up to their skill. Bravado is not just attitude, it is also skill.

Geniuses who become leaders tend to judge their team members wearing a lens which is more attuned to their abilities than their team's. But a captain who has leadership qualities, but himself is not an iconic player, is likely to be more empathetic towards his team members' limitations. A quality of success as well as leadership is to be aware of one's and others' limitations.

Iconic figures like Tendulkar, Botham or Gavaskar may also create an approachability issue for the team members they lead. It is not that these icons deliberately create a barrier – it is just that their team members are too much in awe of them. In the case of a non-iconic captain, he creates the approachability. Depending on his people management skills, he provides enough mental space for the iconic players also to perform at their peak. Thus, the trio of Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman flourished under Ganguly's captaincy, and so did the great Anil Kumble.

MS Dhoni offers an interesting paradigm. He took over captaincy as a person with potentially good leadership skills and on the back of successes rose to become an icon. Since the 2011 World Cup win – when his iconic status got well and truly established -- his leadership in tests is not just uninspiring, but the overseas losses have become embarrassing.

Young Kohli has a lot to learn from all these people. Success is not just about knowing what others did right, but also learning from their mistakes or limitations. He is most likely to take over the mantle from Dhoni when the time comes. He therefore has the time to observe, introspect and finetune his leadership strategies. In fact, from Kohli's perspective, it is probably not such a bad thing that India lost the Adelaide test, as that may have pushed some serious limitations under the carpet, only to resurface in a more damaging form later.

Meanwhile, it might be a good idea for Kohli to have a tete-a-tete with Ganguly on leadership and call up Imran Khan to understand how to create a fusion between being an iconic player and a great leader.

Leadership Lessons From Narendra Modi

Leadership Lessons From Narendra Modi

If there is one thing that distinguishes Modi, it is his communication ability. He communicates through television, radio and social media. His leverage of the social media is phenomenal. He is constantly speaking to different sections of the masses. Apart from being a fantastic public speaker, he is using various modes of communication to share about his initiatives and also set his expectations. If you want to know what's happening, you don't have to go anywhere, you can get it from the Prime Minister himself.

I have been watching with some fascination how our still-new Prime Minister has been going about his job in the past few months. There is a national consciousness that has got built around Mr Modi, who is being seen as a role model set to take India into a whole new world of development.

Modi's approach is also a refreshing change from the previous prime minister's aloofness, perceived to be a good man himself, but who allowed not-so-good people to thrive around him. Modi is seen often in various forums and is also being seen as a person with a lot of intent. He is being seen as a leader of the nation, and not just as a Prime Minister belonging to a political party.

Since the campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections started, Modi has been the most watched, followed and admired politician. The huge mandate for the BJP clearly came on the back of the Modi wave. A nation, frustrated with the functioning of the previous government, handed a mandate and a vote of confidence which came with a humungous amount of expectations. Modi is clearly aware of the expectations and the public scanner that his government is under, and has gone about his job with an urgency that takes into account the hopes of the common man.

Here are a few lessons leaders can learn from the Prime Minister:

1. Don't waste time, get cracking

Modi seemed to have worked out how exactly he wanted to get started. He invited neighbouring heads of governments to be part of his swearing-in ceremony. That way, he projected himself as somebody who wants to reach out to people across nations – emerge as a Statesman, and not just as a political leader. Post that, he got cracking and did not look at settling time. He had a plan even before being sworn in and started executing it. His movements are swift accompanied by a high amount of time efficiency. 2. Communicate, Communicate, CommunicateIf there is one thing that distinguishes Modi, it is his communication ability. He communicates through television, radio and social media. His leverage of the social media is phenomenal. He is constantly speaking to different sections of the masses. Apart from being a fantastic public speaker, he is using various modes of communication to share about his initiatives and also set his expectations. If you want to know what's happening, you don't have to go anywhere, you can get it from the Prime Minister himself.3. Speak the performance languageIn leadership, it is said that team is the reflection of the leader. As the party keeps expanding its political footprint, Modi's team speaks the performance language. A very corporate like performance culture is being spread across the country. Modi realises the mandate is not just one for change, but for performance. 4. Take Initiatives, Bind people through a common language

The Prime Minister has been at the forefront of taking initiatives. He interacted with students during Teacher's Day, launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan during his Independence Day speech, launched the Unity Run on Sardar Patel's birth anniversary, visited Siachen to meet up with the jawans. He has even visited neighbouring nations and Japan, and also made a historic visit to the US. Through these initiatives he is attempting to bind people through a common language and common objective. He is not just communicating, he is also educating.

These are early days for the Modi government and the signs are extremely positive. The nation is watching its leader's moves with a lot of interest. For Modi, there are myriad aspirations to be met and promises to keep. He has captured the imagination of the nation like perhaps no one has since Indira Gandhi. These are expectant as well as exciting times for the nation, carrying its hopes very close to its heart. Modi has a big job to do, and he knows it.

He Comes, He Sees, He Blesses, He Leaves

He Comes, He Sees, He Blesses, He Leaves

Ganesha, for the average Mumbaikar, is more a friend than a God. He is someone with whom he can communicate effortlessly and feel assured that he is being heard.....The immersion, in a very spiritual way, each year also makes humans realise one more time the ultimate destiny of human life – to go back to the expansive consciousness. The return of the Ganesha next year is again symbolic of the recurring creativity of human birth and rebirth. 

The return of the Ganesha is one of the most awaited events in Mumbai city. Since childhood I have seen important festivals like Holi, Diwali lose sheen in terms of their outward expression, but festivities related to Ganesh Chaturthi have not only not ebbed, they have in fact risen and grown to different levels of excitement as well as creativity.

What makes Ganesha the God so special is the intricate human connection that Mumbaikars have with the Lord. This is one God whose arrival is awaited with the excitement reserved for a guest whom we deeply love. I have personally experienced that when we get the idol home on the appointed day, the house ambience seems to undergo a dramatic change. Ganesha brings happiness with him. There is a natural pull for relatives and people living around you to visit your home to have darshan (auspicious sight) of the idol.

The representation of Ganesha in its various forms conveys the very strong bond that people have with the Lord, whom they consider a member of the family. The idol-creators build expressions that bring alive the human personality ever so beautifully. Ganesha, for the average Mumbaikar, is more a friend than a God. He is someone with whom he can communicate effortlessly and feel assured that he is being heard.

Ganesha enlivens the mood of the city like nothing else does. When one of India's great leaders of the freedom movement Lokmanya Tilak launched the Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav (public celebration of the Ganesh festival) concept in pre-independence India as a tool to ward off the British, even he may not have envisioned the longevity of the idea, which has now acquired a relevance and context of its own. The expansion of the social dimension sprung from a political-religious context is truly stunning. Ganesha, in his various forms, mirrors not just human creativity, but also showcases emotions which are superbly human.

Ganesha is a God that Mumbaikars associate with very closely. He is their `silent` friend, philosopher and guide. Besides the social-religious significance, the festival also provides relief to the average Mumbaikar from the at times excruciatingly challenging life he has to lead in this fascinating but complex city. The festival in many ways is a celebration of this relief. The Lord's departure on visarjan (immersion) day therefore evokes emotions that you feel when a loved one is leaving for a long sojourn. On visarjan day, as the Lord gets carried into the deep waters for being immersed, tears bid farewell to a friend who arrived one more time at the appointed hour to bless and take away some of the burdens of human existence.

The immersion, in a very spiritual way, each year also makes humans realise one more time the ultimate destiny of human life – to go back to the expansive consciousness. The return of the Ganesha next year is again symbolic of the recurring creativity of human birth and rebirth. Thus, the chant Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudcha Varshi Lavkar Ya (Hail Ganesha! Come Back Next Year Soon) is not just a slogan, but a clarion call to the Lord to one more time Come, See, Bless and Leave.