Did God create humans or did humans create God?
It is one controversial question that no human can provide an answer to – an answer that everyone can agree upon today. Besides there are as many interpretations of God and religion as there are people in this world and every single person is passionate and protective of his beliefs. Perhaps because what we believe in becomes as real to us as the air we breathe.
In this instance the artist is creating a statue of Lord Ganesh for the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. It is one of the major festivals celebrated in India – mainly in Maharashtra and a few other states. Ganesh in Hinduism is a God of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and Ganesh Chaturthi is recognised as the day of his birth.
Once the mud statue in the picture is completed; it will be dried, painted (hopefully with vegetable dyes, not with chemicals) and decorated (again, hopefully with biodegradable material) to show all the glory of the Gods.
Finally this statue will be bought by someone to invoke life into it through prayers, thoughts, devotion and love. Only then will the statue be worthy of prayers for the next 5, 7 or 10 days after which it will be immersed into a water body. I do realise that many of these practices may have deep, hidden meanings that we don’t fully understand.
What is ironic is that these people, who sculpt the statues/idols of God live in conditions far from glorious. Quite the opposite actually. Every inch of the area where these potters/sculptors live was occupied by various Ganesh idols; making their way even into their kitchen and every possible place of their living space.
I found their living condition a little overwhelming and I wondered if these people, in spite of being surrounded by God idols, ever question the existence of God? On the other hand when I think of it – their faith in God and mud could be the only things holding them together.
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Stepping out of the metaphorical world and speaking in practical terms, I believe that these people must be highly creative individuals.
I am not an artist in the conventional sense of the word and I have only created two paintings in all of my adult life. I remember putting all my thoughts, energy, time and emotions in those and if someone was to tell me that they would buy my paintings only to immerse them in the water, I would totally freak out.
Given enough motivation and incentive, I am sure these people can create many other beautiful things of use or artifacts with their skills, mud and imagination. I hope that someday, someone will organize an exhibition/an event/a competition for them in Umred, to showcase their works of art – not limited by imagination or time.
Coming back to the God question –
There may be no guarantees in life or after life? No guarantees of a paradise, our version of a paradise or our place in a paradise.
If we are to believe however, that we can get a sure ticket to the place through our faith and actions, then while we wait for the real deal, why not support and help these people with skills that have the potential to make our present location beautiful … somewhat like a paradise?
