I am not an artist by any stretch of imagination.
It has become a practice for me to make a clay idol of Lord Ganesha for his birthday – Ganesha Chathurti – every year.
I wonder how I make these because I can’t make anything else out of clay or, for that matter, out of anything. I do not plan how to make a Ganesha – I start making and He ends up being a Ganesha.
When I was a lad, this festival was next only to Deepavali in terms of having to look forward to it months in advance. Neighbours used to pool in money to buy a large Ganesha idol. We used to celebrate in our house as it had a large hall. We had the festivities for ten days and on the tenth day the festivities reach the climax with the immersion of the idol in a nearby lake. That’s how I got introduced to this God.
When we moved out of the city, my brother, used to make Ganesha idols every year. When I got a job and moved out – I started making my own idols. I have been doing this for the past few years and all, I think, have come out satisfactorily. People who have looked at it have appreciated, even in my absence – so I understand from my wife.
How do you make Ganesha – well, I wouldn’t know. All that I know is that he has to have an elephant’s face and man body, an obese one at that. He has to have a huge belly and cherubic face with a child like innocent expression in his eyes. That’s how I see him. He could be of any size, shape, colour, stance and demeanour.
The Ganesha I made last year looked majestic, regal and seemed like a person sitting over judgement on every thing that happens in the world. This year He is relaxed and seems as though He is enjoying himself in a beach resort.
Today while making Him, I wondered at Him, how do You take shape. It’s definitely not due to my ability or skills. And then it struck me.
It is not what I make becomes a Ganesha. It is what I see becomes a Ganesha. Whatever form He takes, the fact is I look at it as Ganesha. And when you see something you come to love you see no blemishes. When others see it, they see it with love and affection and see no blemishes either. That is why He is the One who removes blemishes. I feel that He never removes them – He only makes you not see them. . It’s all about endearment. That I feel is what humanity is all about. And that’s what Godliness is all about.
When you see with love – whatever be it – you do not see blemishes.
That is why Ganesha is a ubiquitous God in India. Hope we all see Ganesha in everyone and everything. Hope we all see no blemishes in everyone and everything.
