Vinayaka Puja

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In a message dated 6/13/00 12:22:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

bhakti-list writes:

 

Sriman Mysore Srikanth wrote:

 

<< Due to continuous influence of kannadigas

 

and their cultures, they celebrated vinayaka pooja as well as

 

gaNapathi pooja, perhaps in their attempt to find oneness and hence

 

stability in their state of domicile >>

 

Couple of points:

 

vinayaka and gaNapathi are same.

gaNapathi is worshipped in other States of India, including Tamil Nadu

(not by just Kannadigas).

We have been Mysore Iyengars for several generations. My grand father's

grand father (Sri Raghunatha Tatachar) moved to Mysore area (on Mysore

Maharaja's

support). Sri Raghunatha Tatachar's (RT) great grand daughters son is Sri

Ranga Guru of Hedatale, the founder of Ashtanga yoga vignana mandira, which

Sri Ranga priya swami is currently heading. Sri RT's great grandson's son is

my father.

We have never worshipped Vinayaka or gaNapathi. Growing up in Bangalore,

where the Ganesha festival is quite common and nearly everyone celebrated, we

never ever had Ganesha festival in our house. We are quite much assimilated

in Karnataka. We used to visit friends and strangers house to view Ganesha

but never celebrated the festival in any fashion in our house. So the two are

not

mutually necessary. Kannadigas (of old Mysore, the area we are used to) are

among the most hospitable and accopmodating people. Perhaps would be

insulted, if someone did something just to please them. People have lived for

generations, without having to speak or learn Kannada, if they did not want

to. However, as Mr Srikanth pointed out, we are more familiar with Kannada

than Tamil. This is of our own choice and not forced on us. This is less

likely in almosy any other part of India.

 

Daasan,

 

Koti Sreekrishna Tatachar