The Boatman by John Burbidge

Author:John Burbidge
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781921924866
Publisher: Transit Lounge

A TURN OF EVENTS

In Hindu mythology, the elephant-headed god Ganesh is known for many things, but mostly as the remover of obstacles.

A benevolent being, he is also worshipped as the harbinger of prosperity, well-being and wisdom. In Western India in particular, he has a strong and loyal following. Bombayites pour their passion into creating idols of their favorite deity, some so tiny they can be held in the palm of your hand, others so massive they have to be carried on the back of a truck. Months before the celebration known as Ganesh Chaturthi, artisans labor long into the night to perfect their creations. After 10 days of performing pujas to the pot-bellied god on family altars, devotees carry their beloved idols down every artery and vein of this labyrinthine city to the Arabian Sea for a farewell immersion. Crowds whip themselves into a frenzy with devotional singing and wild dancing to pulsating drumbeats and rattling tambourines.

I would usually try to avoid the parade route, but this year I wasn’t so lucky. I had gone to visit a friend and on my way back became caught up in the procession. To add to the celebratory chaos in the streets, a storm had blown in off the Indian Ocean and deluged the city. In other parts of the world, such a torrential downpour may have dampened spirits, but not Bombay. If anything, it only buoyed the crowd into an even giddier mood. In an effort to escape the onslaught, I joined dozens of others who had taken shelter under a bus stand. Overflowing drains spewed foul water into the street, while a nearby billboard was ripped apart by blustering winds. The singers kept singing, the dancers kept dancing, and the parade went on, as if oblivious to the fury of the elements.

While I didn’t overtly swear my allegiance to this benign being, I must have offered some propitiation by being part of the melee on that day because soon after, doors began to open in my life, almost before I had knocked on them. Not only doors into the homes and offices of the wealthy and powerful, but much lesser portals as well. Moreover, a major obstacle in my life was mysteriously removed, without any covert manipulation on my part. Two events bore testimony to this mysterious presence of Lord Ganesh in my life.

* * *

The first took place in Kolhapur District in south-western Maharashtra where I had worked several years before in one of our village projects. A bastion of the once-dominant Maratha empire, Kolhapur is known for its vast sugar factories, fine educational institutions, and thriving Marathi film industry, as much for its leather chappals, champion wrestlers, and spicy cuisine. It also boasted one of the highest per capita incomes in India, a resource I inadvertently tapped into when I solicited the support of the city’s many service clubs for our project. I made contact with all of them and developed a number of close friends—doctors, architects and businessmen among them.

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