Nilanjana retells the story of Ganesha, also known as Gajanana, in this poem, as part of the special feature, in Different Truths.

From the vast cosmic consciousness

An enormous form emerges every year;

With kind eyes, curved trunk

And the brightness of a million suns.

The bard, naturally, weaves a myth

Of the cosmic mother

Who created a child to guard her door

While she bathed and got dressed.

The loyal child followed his mother’s command

With all his might and even his life!

Enraged by her son’s untimely demise,

Who was just following her instructions,

The cosmic mother rose to destroy creation;

Only to be appeased when her son

Was restored back to life.

An elephant head breathed new life

Onto the child who gained the unique status

Of being worshipped before all gods.

The remover of all obstacles

With ears that are eager to listen;

Trunk that balances strength and discretion;

A tusk to remind us that we are all one;

Lotus on one hand to lead us to enlightenment;

A hatchet on the second to eliminate all past karmas;

Sweets on the third to indicate the bliss of a pure life;

And the fourth hand raised to always bless,

A foot on the ground and other on the knee

Since we do belong to the earth and yet do not,

Controlling the rat, a symbol of our ever demanding senses.

After celebrating joyous ten days,

This enormous form, like all others

Merges back to depths

Of the infinite formless …

©Nilanjana Dey

Photos from the Internet

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Nilanjana Dey

A story-teller at heart, Nilanjana Dey is on a journey to experiment with fiction and poetry. Her first novel, largely aimed towards children, is titled ‘The Adventures of Puti – The Cheese Trail’. Her poems have been published at various prestigious portals. An alumni of English Literature from Jadavpur University (Kolkata), she is a marketing and communication professional based in Mumbai. She volunteers with a Mumbai based NGO working with the marginalised sections of the society.