Is this The Heaven on Earth!!!!!!!!!!!
Calender turned to nineteen....
Clock ticked to 6 fifteen.....
Weather was pleasant.....
Traffic was at its nascent.....
Started to say 'Good bye' to friends.....
Simultaneously excitement started go north-ends....
But all the planning and efforts were worth......
As I was blessed to see The Heaven on Earth...............
Yes I was blessed to see The Heaven on Earth.......
Right from school days we have been told to share the best with all. So in this small effort from my end, I would definitely like to share this wonderful experience with you all. This experience I am sharing because I want you all to be part of this Heaven in many more such events in the coming years to come.
For a change I decided to watch this event than spending time at Malls. To be frank, visiting malls at times is frustrating.
The Event I am referring to here is the final day of "Bangalore Ganesh Utsava" where the Lord was taken with full respect in a procession to immersion.
Oh Lord, I cannot ask for more than this. I know this is your blessing on me. You gifted me this wonderful evening. Thank you so much.
Friends, I had too many thoughts in my mind whether to go or not. I started to search for excuses to avoid going. Good I did not go by my mind but went by my heart. I had this dream of making it to this final day of procession from many years from the time I came to know about such events.
Yes, finally I could make it. On the way to this Heaven, I was very very hungry too. My hunger started to make me feel dizzy. I used the mobile battery concept or hey mobile battery manufacturers used this concept? If there are hardly any charge in the mobile, you switch it off and on it when in need. Like wise, I closed my eyes while in auto to make sure that I get some energy. I had plans to eat after reaching the place as DVG road is good eat-out option too for road-side chats ;-). But in that excitement of seeing the procession I did not give more importance to my hunger. However, for my pleasant surprise the organizers as part of this celebration were distributing Laddus. Infact I got 2 to 3 laddus. They are very generous.
I went there but there was no sign of procession. However I could see our Khakhi friends - the police being deployed in a group here and there. That gave me confidence that the procession is on. But I wondered if the procession is over or yet to start. So checked with one of the Khakhi friend and he in a friendly manner told me that the procession started but yet to reach the place where we were at that time. Infact he told my auto guy to take me to the base place where the procession would start. We went there but the procession had already left the base place. So we with the knowledge of some short-cuts available around reached the place where the all excitement started. Yes my dream came true. Road was half full with audiences. However few local shop owners offered to me to stand in an elevated place where I can get a better view. That is the 2nd friendly treatment I experienced.
Here came The Team who enthralled the audience to make it a successful gala event. I would say as a spectator this is the best "Team" event I have ever seen. All owned their respective role and complemented each other in executing their job.
Team here I would like to mention are "The organizers, The performers, The police officials, The traffic controllers, The local shop owners, etc". I am sorry if I missed anyone here. Organizers would ideally comprise of everyone ;-)......
I being the pro in photography got best options I found my real happiness here. The organizers saw me struggling to get the photos and they made way for me to take fotos of whatever I wanted. They helped me, encouraged me and made my day.
I love Ganesha Chaturthi - a famous festival in India. I love this because it brings unity among Indians. You will get to see Ganesha idols from small to medium to large to XL to XXXXXL also and all based on the fund raising capability of the group. However size doesn't matter. What matters is the fun you have in the whole event from money collection to place finalizing to buying ganesha to organizing prasada everyday to organizing events on each day to buying gifts for participants and finally till the immersion. It is like Ganesha Festival Development Life Cycle.
- Veda Prayana: The way anything in India starts with a prayer, even the procession started with a group of priests who were reciting the Veda as seen here. When you actually need a complete piece of mind if you agree, listening to veda prayana is actually a way of stress buster. Gives peace of mind. This is my feeling though.............
- Nadaswaraman: Nadaswaram is considered to be very auspicious in India in most of the festivals or celebrations especially in South side. After prayer is the sound of these beats which served like a great starter for this great evening.
- Dollu Kunitha: Famously known as Dollu Dance. Dollu are the instruments these artists are carrying. Their beats can beat the great pop music also. Just listen to it, even if you are not a dancer your will start dancing. Without your knowledge your legs will start moving to the tune of these beats. I can bet on you that your legs will respond to these beats faster than any other beats ;-). So excitement mounted further. Enjoyed their beats to the fullest as I could cherish this treat on ear and eyes by standing very near to them.
- I dont know the name of below performers but they cannot be discounted. If you see even the crowd could not resist to be part of this dance. Every body from colleage goers to elder generation started to participate in this dance group. It was indeed a great treat to eye. Imagine you are standing there and everybody in the crowd started to just vanish and appear in great spirits dancing and competing with these performers. Oh man I can't ask for more :-)......................
- Kamsale Dance: Kamsale is a unique folk art performed by the devotees of God Mahadeshwara. Kamsale is a brass made musical instrument. Its origin is traced to the Mythological period. They are our traditional entertainers which is a mandatory performance in any of such events. These boys were simply amazing. They are playing the kamsale in different forms. They are keeping the music at its best and simultaneously doing different performances like a gymnastic performer. They formed different designs. They were very innovative in their group formation and their formation was decided on the spot and based on the increasing spirit. This further made me feel that this is the best time in my life. Life is good. Place where I am staying is too good. I can't ask for anything more. Choice is ours interms of getting the refreshment. Either you go on a expensive trip outside or be part of such events. Given an option, I would go for this than the other. When you are midst of such rich culture then why go in search of other places. Let us first cover these unlimited feast to your eyes and then explore new things.
- Chande Drummers: Here I am running out of words. These boys were simply amazing. They danced, they played the best tunes and they forced the crowd to dance. We had no choice but to stick our eyes on them for one of the best performance. They were with full energy. They did not perform this just for the sake of it. They enjoyed doing this. They looked more excited than anybody else. When you do anything with full spirit you will surely give THE BEST in you. And that is what we got watching them perform. They were ultimate by all means.
- Kangeelu Kunitha: It is another form of dance where the performers were dressed like tribals with the lead in front to lead them. I don't know the meaning of Kangeelu or could not get from the net. But as shown below in this pic, they had their own USP to attract the crowd and children especially. Children enjoyed seeing them and dancing too.
Here comes the "Show Man" sorry our lord is the Show Man here. Thalaiva Rajanikanth in few of his films says that "Respect should come on its own than asking for it". Lord did not ask for all these but he deserved all these and much more. Why not........ You may argue that Lord is not there. But in times of low / depression whom do you reach out for gaining the strength or confidence. It is this same Lord. So if not in person thru these idols or prayers he is there for us to give us the confidence or faith in life to go on. He deserves this grand respect.
He was welcomed by these colorful umbrellas on both the sides of road giving that extract color to this occasion.
Eagerly waiting audience: Here comes few of captured eagerly waiting audience. There were many but as you know I myself was engrossed watching the heaven so could not capture all the audience. Definitely I should mention here that all the people on the road waiting to see the procession were extremely decent. I did not experience even a single indecent incident here. So one more reason for my friends and family out there to come without any negative thought. Please do come and just experience the wonderful heaven which I experienced.
Yes the moment has come. Here comes "The Show Man - Lord Ganesha"
Reason for all these fun. Reason for this great get-to-gether of community. Reason for humanity still residing.
Thank you Lord for everything. I really saw/felt/experienced/cherished
Your Heaven on My Earth.
Last but not the least - Thank you "Shree Vinayaka Yuvaka Sangha, Basavanagudi" for a very well organized event. Everything was perfect. You have taken care of all the minutest things in making it a super success.
Thank You & happy cherishing each and every moment of your life.
Life is beautiful.
