Significance of Festivals – By Parul & Divyang

I was in 6th or 7th standard when I read about ancient India was making major innovations in everything, from science and technology to the area of entertainment. One thing I could remember from my textbook is “Sushruta, was an ancient Indian saint, and the first individual to invent plastic surgery. As described in book further, he can split a single hair to two pieces with the help of surgical instruments. That mesmerized me that was just one Saint, there are many others who have found zero, researched on space and so on. They taught to people how to live, how to eat and more importantly what to eat! Simultaneously, questions comes to my mind is, why they gave us Utsava (festival)? Is it just for entertainment and relaxation from my daily routine?

After some research and reading on this topic, I have found some amazing facts! They stated that “yes it is for relaxation”, however it’s not just for entertainment, the concept they introduce is “edutainment”. Saints were not just good at science and technology, they were also good at psychology, they wanted to teach people some great lessons, but to make it easier they started celebrating Uthsava, which is perfect combination of science with entertainment. If you pick any single Uthsava, there is a science behind it, however people added their myths into it and as result today religion is full of superstitions.

Recently Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated, people celebrated that festival with full of joy, but do we really knowing why are we celebrating it? Shiva is the Supreme being who creates, protects and transforms the universe, then why didn’t they attach the original head of Ganesha chopped off by Him, instead they attached head of elephant

Let’s reveal the secret! Body of Ganesha has leadership qualities, which makes him a perfect leader, thus at any ritual we start by worshiping Lord Ganesha, Indeed Leader first!! Further, during these 11 days of Ganesh Chaturthi, we have to learn those qualities one by one. Here are some of those qualities, from which we can learn a leadership.

• Big Head – Head is the house of thoughts. Ganesha’s big head teach us to think big. Believe in big and achieve it. You might not get succeeded at first attempt, but may be things might get worked on second or third, but if you haven’t think big you’ll never reach at even first attempt.
• Small Eyes – Small eyes can see thin objects. Ganesha’s small eyes tell us to watch your life closely, pay attention on negative thoughts and people, don’t let them dominate you. thin objects. Ganesha’s small eyes tell us to watch your life closely, pay attention on negative thoughts and people, don’t let them dominate you.
• Axe – An axe is symbol of cutting down the negative thoughts and other attachment that binds leader to move further. Leader should be capable of getting things done in a worse situations, when all are getting afraid of something, leader should cut down that unwillingness from followers and motivate them to achieve their goals. Remember a scene of Baahubali movie where Amarendra Baahubali motivate his team to fights back – (महासेना..क्या है मृत्यु..)
• Trunk – Trunk is use to smell, therefore, a long trunk indicates to smell something which is happening around. If people would conspire to do something illegal or harmful, you should smell it before someone executes their plan. Simply leader should be prudent!
• Larger Stomach – Stomach is showing an ability to digest. When you play the game, it’s not necessary that you will win every time, people would criticize you when you lose or win! Thus, leader should peacefully digest all good and bad of life.
• Tusk – Ganesha has full and a half tooth. Full one is sign of faith and a half indicates intelligence. Whatever you do, faith is playing a major role, and it enables you to overcome every obstacle in your path towards success. With faith all things are possible, even your brain has a bunch of excuses. Thus, Ganesha says us, be faithful, would be okay if not much intelligent.
• Modak – There is nothing more important than good health. By eating anything which is available to you causes heath issue, thus habit of eating healthy food like “Modak” will increase your inner strength and make you healthier.
• Mouse – Mouse is like desire. Desire unless under control can cause havoc, you ride the desire and keep it under control and don’t allow it to take you over a ride.
• Small mouth – Small mouth means speck whenever it’s really necessary, when you speak less, you do more. It’s obvious. Your focus switches from talking to doing. Indeed, your work should speak more than you!
• Large Ears – Large ears works same as dustpan. People will throw good or bad words, but you have to accept only favorable which will help you to grow further in your life, rest throw it out.

There are many other qualities which we’ve not discussed here. However, intention of writing this post is to spread awareness, what saints had given us, and nowadays at what level we’ve transformed it! Hope, before celebrating anything blindly, at least try to find out the reason behind.

Parul and Divyang
29th October 2018