Reading Notes: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art Part A

(Ganesha)

Ganesha’s secret

What I really like about this piece so far is that it’s structurally very different from the other pieces I’ve examined up to this point. While those generally have a focused storytelling agenda, this purpose of this piece is to educate people about the Hindu religion through stories about their Gods, Goddesses, gods, and goddesses.

Initially, the video discusses the multiplicity of divinity and the concept that Hindu deities are the most comprehensible embodiments of various aspects of divinity as a whole. It then goes on to explore the difference between Gods and gods. I find this an interesting distinction. It becomes even more interesting when one considers local gods and goddesses and their roles in the Hindu pantheon.

I didn’t know that Ganga was said to flow from the top of Shiva’s topknot. The really cool thing about that is that I’ve actually read an alternative source story regarding Ganga. In fact, I wrote in my storybook about a different relationship that Ganga and Shiva are said to share.

This discussion of local gods and goddesses is very interesting to me because it shows how culture impacts religion and people’s interactions with religion. For example, the fact that there are some earthly people who are considered to be the consorts of various deities.

It is particularly interesting to me that they are exploring the similarities between various historical pantheons and the Vedic pantheon. I also like the thread of subjective truth they are pulling through the video in conjunction with the initial story about Ganesha.

I had never considered greek mythology from the perspective of gods and goddesses fearing that the human race would eventually overthrow them. Vishwakarma is the one who creates. Bahuchara is the goddess of hijras who can turn a woman into a man. She is the embodiment of inclusive divinity.

Annapurna, the mother who feeds, becomes Lakshmi. Gayatri becomes Saryaswati. Ganesha is one of the most popular gods in modern Hinduism. Ganesha represents a balance between spiritual and physical desires.

Bibliography: Seven Secrets from Hindu Calendar Art