Recently, along with a well-meaning socio-religious group, I went to Kashi and did darshan at almost 150 temples, which have different-looking and different-named over 60 Ganesh, 300 Shiva, 80 Durga, 6 Kartikeyan, 15 Vishnu, 15 Laxmi, 16 Bhairav, many Nagas and many Shiva ganas. Ganesh festival is being celebrated in many states like Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu as a socio-religious celebration. All over India and globally all Hindus worship Ganeshji as a God who gives knowledge and wisdom (vidya daata) and who removes hurdles (vighna harta). Here are some meaningful names of Ganeshji we came across in Kashi: Sankat (difficulty / hurdle) Haran (removing) Ganesh, Siddhi (success, power) Vinayak, Mangal (auspicious) Vinayak. There was even Mitra (friend / sun) Vinayak. We saw even Saakshi (witness) Vinayak. In Kashi Khanda 56 Vinayak yatras are mentioned and most of them are there in Kashi-some in well-maintained temples, some shrunk at a corner of an encroached building.
Whatever is the name and specific power attributed to Ganeshji anywhere in India, basic blessings from Ganeshji as a God are knowledge and wisdom and no hurdles. So, let us all pray to Ganeshji. But what do we ask from Ganeshji? Ok ok, I agree that while praying any bhagwan, we should not ask for anything; He /She knows what is in our minds and if He/She finds that we are worth it, He/She will bless us and fulfil our wish. But Hindus in India and globally, though, are now truly sick and tired of waiting endlessly. They are angry and upset. They have some specific things they wish to ask from all bhagwans-currently, at least from Bhagwan Ganeshji:
Ganeshji, please see what is happening in India. Hindus are being hassled, persecuted and abused by all governments.
Temples are being broken, encroached and illegally occupied in most states and even globally in Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Hindus remember temples broken globally in the history from Iran to Afghanistan, from Jordon to Pakistan. But now Hindus are pained and angered to see it happening in Hindustan and being done by the people whom they trusted the most!
Ganeshji, please urgently give knowledge with wisdom (not just intellect, which day-dreams, condemns all that is religiously respected and glorifies all that is anti-religion/anti-societal norms and faith) to all. Recently, there seems to be a flood of such people who write/speak/behave in the above way and Ganeshji, Hindus are very hurt, angry and feel betrayed by all this. Someone glorifies a Hindustan-breaker and worst is that to do so demean and defame those who played a major role in nation-building and keeping Hindustan one. Then some groups, some section of media and some political parties giving knee-jerk reactions either ‘godify’ or demonise such people. Ganeshji, please stop such pseudo-intellectual activities immediately and give wisdom even to those who have been doing it and as a result hurting Hindus and Hindustan.
Ganeshji, there is a serious new type of cancer eating into the vitals of Hindus and Hindustan. It is the cancer of selfishness and its manifestation is infighting, self-rivalry and absolute neglect of those because of whom such people are on some positions. This is across all political parties. Ganeshji, please give energy, strength and resources to Hindus now to come up with their own powerful political instrument before it is too late.
Ganeshji, Hindustan is facing a serious threat of jehadi terrorism and cross-border attacks’ possibility from China to Pakistan and from many nations whom we are falsely treating as friends. Ganeshji, save Hindustan from all such threats.
Hindustan is reeling under severe drought. Majority of farmers, who are helpless and about to lose hope, are Hindu. Please, Ganeshji, if not governments, at least You know it well that all farmers who committed suicides were Hindus. Save farmers in Hindustan, Ganeshji. Remove the hurdle of drought.
Hindustan is also facing a strange epidemic. Children, youth, elderly men and women-this H1N1 virus is attacking all. Please save Hindustan from all epidemics and make Hindus healthy. Hindus are already troubled by a very dangerous virus whose name is seculariam virus. Its manifestation is growing into unproductive, socially non-contributory blah blah and then believing that what is said and done in that fever is true! It is a serious illness, Ganeshji, please cure all from such hurdle.
Ganeshji, Hindus want to offer You nice prasad. But, see this inflation! Dal is over Rs 120 per kg, sugar is crossing Rs 30 and the prices of other essential commodities are going up, whereas governmental figures are showing the opposite! Ganeshji, please truly reduce the prices of all food items and don’t let anyone have sleepless nights due to hunger and don’t let anyone die of hunger. Give wisdom to all governments to truly act now to avoid the catastrophe.
Ganeshji, Hindus have a list of requests before You. But they know that You know their mind and their plight. Hindus have a hope that Ganeshji will give knowledge with wisdom to all, remove all hurdles in the progress of Hindus and Hindustan and bring a new hope.
(The writer is a wellknown cancer surgeon & secretary general of VHP. He can be contacted at [email protected])
