The entire city is decorated and filled with shops selling various condiments and ingredients necessary to the festivals that are being celebrated back-to-back in this ancient heritage city of Mysore.
While the majority of the Hindus celebrate the double pack festivals of Gauri and Ganesh, it is the end of the holy month of Ramadan for the Muslims and they are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr. Though the city always remains notoriously famous for the hostility between the two camps, during festive seasons( Karnataka has an abundance of those) the city looks and behaves like a normal one, with people being more polite and considerate about the other religion and their festivities.
But it is hard to miss all the colour and bustle on the roads and the sense of hurry and joy in the faces of people. As I reside in an outskirts area of Mysore, I am able to see the semi-urban populace bustiling through the newly sprung up road-side markets selling flowers,decorative items, colourful bangles and lots and lots of different Ganesh idols varying in size, colours, theme etc. Never before in my life have I seen a Ganesha with the body and pose of Sri Sai Baba.
The Gauri festival on the other hand seems to be celebrated only in Karnataka( as far as I know ), and is only for girls. Soon after it gets over, the family members have to 'undo' those decorations and put up those of Ganesh festival and start working on it. The Ganesh festival begins in many homes and communities with the bringing in of the great Moorthis( idols) of lord Ganesh. I am currently watching it at that stage. It is good to see people dancing and singing on the roads carrying their favourite God.
Meanwhile, I will be trying to capture some good snaps with my nokia phone camera. If something interesting or good comes up, I shall put it up here. And I am yet to see the Eid celebrations as the Muslim areas are far away from where I stay :(
Happy Gauri-Ganesh festivals to all my friends all over the world and Eid Mubarak too. May happiness and peace prevail.
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