Say a little prayer...

...for me, for you, for the world. Today is Ganesh Chaturthi, one of the most looked-forward-to days in the Hindu calendar. At least, in my part of the world - Maharashtra, where I was born, where I live and where I am rooted, and the south of India, where my heritage lies. We, as a people, believe in the Elephant God as the destroyer of evil, the benefactor of the good and the protector of the innocent. He blesses every new adventure and watches over every old venture. And He appeals to everyone, with His pot belly and His good cheer, His generosity and His childlike humour, His wisdom and His sagacity. His special day is about prayer and food, with all His favourites being dished up at the altar before being eaten by those who worship Him.

For me, Ganpati, Ganesha, Gajanana, whatever name He may have, is all about new beginnings. While I am not a woman of any great faith in any particular deity, I do believe in a higher power, and Ganpati is a good way to visualise him, being round and happy and yet very, very wise. What He advised works well: Leave the old behind, the bitterness, the anger, the hurt and the pain, and move forward into a new day, a new feeling of anticipation, a new start of a brand new adventure. Trust what you are being given, be it love or friendship, feelings or freedom, and go forward with bright eyes, a light heart and a happy state of existence. That is the lesson that we were taught in our school texts and that is the same lesson that the so-called gurus of the modern urban world are teaching us now. Instead of looking to them for direction, look within, I was always told, and you will know what to do, when to do it, how to do it and with whom to do it.

I think for me the 'whom' has always been most important. Because that is the only part that I cannot keep a firm eye on. Who knows who comes into your life and what role they play, until they are actually there, playing it! I find that those who really matter are those who stay with you, no matter what happens to them and to you. And when you discover one of those special people, reach out, hold on to them and treasure them, like a very wise woman I knew told me. If you are willing to let something or someone go without too much of a fight, that thing or person was not too important anyway; they do not matter as much as you believed.

I have found very few people like that in my life. One or two have always been with me, but I never knew them until very recently. And now that I know which is dross and which pure gold, I know which I should, as my friend said, treasure. It is one of the lessons you learn from Ganpati, too, the God of all things bright and beautiful, big and small, wise and wonderful. After all, as the holy book said, "The Lord God made them all".