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| Ganesh (depicted circa 1730) |
Thomas Crowley digs deeply into what he calls “the ecological roots of an ancient festival” in order to help answer that question. He reminds us that “for centuries, Ganesh idols were made of clay.” He also reminds us that “for millennia, elephants have been worshipped as sacred in India.” They have often been associated with water (creation), fertility, and with the Mother Goddess (Mother Earth) herself. According to Crowley, Ganesh “was born” when his Buddhist predecessor “remained a popular god of the people,” and therefore eventually “entered the Brahmin pantheon.”
Wikipedia reports that Ganesh is widely revered by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and others. He is associated with obstacles – often removing them, but sometimes positioning them where needed. Buddhists consider Ganesh to be “the Lord of letters and learning.” Hindus believe that he personifies the sacred sound of Aum. Kundalini yoga teaches that Ganesh “resides in the first chakra” at the base of the spine, and therefore governs “the forces that propel the wheel of life.”
Ganesh has therefore always been intimately connected with the ecological circle of life. Crowley ties the modern-day immersions of the Ganesh idol to the ancient monsoon celebrations. He points out that Ganesh Chaturthi occurs “towards the end of the monsoon, which, even today, Indian farmers rely upon as their main source of agricultural water.”
An ecological organization, eCoexist, has been determined to protect this precious water which Mother Earth has so graciously provided. Rather than pollute the waters with icons made of plaster and paint, eCoexist offers “Green Ganesh” alternatives made from clay, paper mache, and other earth-friendly materials.
Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_Chaturthi#cite_note-2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha
http://www.e-coexist.com/products/ganesh-chaturthi/resources-on-ecosensitive-ganesh-chaturthi
http://www.realitysandwich.com/ganesh_eco_festival
Copyright September 1, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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