Mom.. I swallowed Lord Ganesha !!!!

"Priya ... what are you doing here ...", her mother asked her loudly, as she saw 6 year old Priya entering the Kitchen. She had passed on to Priya, all disciplines that she, as a kid, had learnt during her childhood, including respecting elders, being clean and worshipping God everyday. But, one thing that she could never make Priya get rid of, was her swallowing things. This practice, which Priya had as a toddler, continued despite her, now being 6 years old.

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Priya knew many prayer songs. She knew to invite Lord Hanuman in times of fear by chanting “Ram Ram”, invite Lord Krishna when she walked alone, so that he would come walk invisibly along with her. Above all, she knew she could pray to Lord Ganesha before she began any activity, so that he would ensure she could complete it successfully, without any hurdles. Lord Ganesha was a small boy, but was also first among Gods, a very dear to his mom and also a very loving God. She had prayed Him for help at multiple occasions, including when she lost her pencil, when she had a surprise test and when she ran for a kids race, and she was successful each time and had her problems resolved. She liked him much.

Tomo was His birthday, and her mom was in progress doing preparations for the same. He would come the next day to every home, with umbrella, new dress and flowers, stay there for 9 days, and then reach his home through the well in their home.

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“Aren't you hearing me?” Priya's mom asked aloud once again, advising her further, “Leave the room now. I am frying eatables in oil, and you shall not come into kitchen till tonight. Go to the bedroom and study something”, she said, like every typical Indian mother, who always wants her kids to keep studying, regardless of anything else.

As Priya moved towards the bedroom, she noticed a small pyramid shaped yellow item, which attracted her. “What is this mommy”, she asked her mom to which her mom replied, “It is Lord Ganesha dear. I invited Him here, so that I could pray to Him before cooking. Fine then, make the move” she said in a sterner voice.

Priya moved to the bedroom and as she sat with her book, pretending as though she were studying, her mind was all fixed at Ganesha in the kitchen. As her mother moved to the restroom after sometime, she crawled to the kitchen and took Ganesha idol in her hand. She could feel it quite hard and as she was still holding it, her mom was out of the restroom. Fearing that she would be caught, she planned quickly to take Ganesha in her mouth to bedroom and then see him well there, without any disturbance. Therefore, she quickly put Him into her mouth, moved slowly into the bedroom. Her mother was out of the restroom, but was cleaning her face with water in the wash basin outside, and did not notice her as her face was covered with soap.

Priya went into her bedroom and tried taking Ganesha out of her mouth, so that she could take a clear look. But Alas !!! the Ganesha idol made of turmeric had already dissolved into her mouth and she could never find anything in her mouth. 

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“Oh my goodness !! I have swallowed Lord Ganesha”

After a few minutes of being dumbstruck out of the shock, she started thinking with sadness, “Oh my God !! I have swallowed Ganesha.. Tomorrow is His birthday, and mother is making so many preparations to welcome Him tomorrow, and he won't be here !!”

She did not know what to do. Lord Ganesha was the one person she invited every time whenever she had a problem. But now, she couldn't invite Him, as she already had swallowed him. She was now helpless. 

“How much painful he should have felt. Poor guy. He was so nice and is very dear to His Mother. How bad She would feel when she gets to know of this!! “, she wondered with confusion on what to do.

* * * * *

In a short while, her mother invited her for dinner. Priya looked very sad and silent. While her mom noticed this, she easily dismissed attributing it to Priya being sleepy. She let Priya sleep after dinner. Priya was not bold enough to confess to her mother. 

* * * * *

In her dreams, Priya saw Lord Ganesha crying in her stomach. As she sadly got up from her bed and came out of her home, she could see everyone in the town standing on streets and discussing about some girl who had swallowed Lord Ganesha. They were sad that He wasn't going to visit their houses.

A small, beautiful boy was crying at a corner of the road near their home, with a peacock and a mouse nearby. She asked him why he was crying. The boy replied, “Some girl has swallowed my brother and hence we are all so sad.”.

She realised He was none other than Lord Subramanya, brother of Lord Ganesha. Filled with guilt, as she was about to go into her home back, she turned back hearning someone behind her. There she saw a majestic lady seated on a mighty lion, having a trishul** in her hand, and looking very upset and angry.

“Why did you swallow my son? Did you not feel it was wrong to do so? I know it was you who did it. Hasn't your mom told you multiple times not to swallow things? Now see, you have swallowed my son !!!, divine mother Parvati was questioning her, sounding very disappointed.

Tears came up all around her eyes, as she said. “Sorry aunty. I did not do it on purpose. I just wanted to secretly look at Him in my room. Not sure what happened to Him after that. Sorry... Sorry.. Sorry “

* * * * *

Her mother, who was getting ready with the preparations for worshipping Lord Ganesha that morning, could hear her daughter crying aloud. As she entered the bedroom, she could hear her daughter shouting “Sorry, Sorry, Sorry”, in her sleep. Patting gently on her back, her mother awakened her. Priya stared blankly at her mother, not still out of her dream.

With tears in eyes, Priya told her mother, “Sorry mother. I won't swallow anything henceforth”, as she confessed the previous night's incident. Her mother realised that she had swallowed the turmeric Ganesha which she had made to pray to before beginning the festive preparations. Priya had swallowed it before she could immerse Him for the day, and she had forgotten it since then.

“Dear... don't worry. You cannot swallow Lord Ganesha. But, do remember, it was wrong for you to have swallowed Him. Get ready, take bath and come out. He has come up to our house for his birthday. Come and say sorry to him.”- and Priya did as her mother said.

* * * * *

Priya came out and saw Lord Ganesha's mud idol, all decorated in flowers and the holy scutch grass, which was his favorite. She prayed sincerely with prayer songs and promised Him that she won't swallow things henceforth and that she would confess any mistake she unknowingly committed to her mother immediately.

And she kept her promise for her lifetime. Lord Ganesha was watching everything with a smile on His face.

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* It is customary in many households to worship Lord Ganesha before beginning cooking for festivals, and infact before beginning any new activity, requesting him to keep any hurdles away.
** Trishul - A tri-headed weapon held by Lord Shiva and his consort

*Ganesha Painting Credit- Ms.Geetha