Everyone would agree that Pillayar (Ganesh) Chaturthi can’t be more interesting than how it is celebrated back home. It starts with getting a ‘Mann Pillayar’ (Small idol of lord Ganesha made out of clay) home and decorating the house with ‘Thooranam’ (Hangings made of coconut leafs and mango leafs). After the pooja, we hang around the rest of the day to friends place or in worst cases get fixed in front of the idiot box watching some ‘India Tholaikatchikalil mudhal muraiyaga…’ (First time in Indian channels variety…) movies. With the channel wars getting very adverse, we get so much of choice of seeing programmes.

Yesterday being Pillayar Chathurthi (and working day here in London), got up a bit earlier and did some extra prayers for Lord Ganesha (after all it’s his birthday...). In the evening after getting back home, went to the nearby temple in wembley. By London standards, they had done a decent job of doing some alangaram. In the late evening, there were some satsang organised in my Landlord’s house (they are Gujarathis). Though I did miss the ‘kolakettais’ (South Indian sweet usually made on Pillayar Chaturthi), we were given delicious laddus.

This being a 10 day festival, I hope to make it to East Ham, for a South Indian feel of the festival....

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