with Sri Ganesh

convictions, and they buckle down at the least opposition and pressure… The other day she had of her own shared her clear opinion that Madhu and his wife must not be indulged in their claims on the place and the temple, and when I had told her about their visit and their offering of Rs. 50/- she had laughed a lot. But now they must have pressed on through other people and she tells me they want her to keep the keys today so they can come in the afternoon when I am not present to do some special puja. It appears that she is reconciled to the idea and only wants to know whether I agree. I remind her she had not been at all in favor of such arrangements and she confirms it. But it is only when I refuse to go through with this that she declares she only wanted to make sure that “we are standing firm”…! I see that what it means is that she will now be able to put it all on me: “he doesn’t want to give the keys, you can only go in the mornings when he is there”, is what she will answer when they insist. And so they will continue focusing their devious anger on me alone, as usual, and she will be at peace. … A fellow came in, who seemed to hail from another State, who did elaborate and intricate pranams and sat a long while in the shrine, with a sweet intensity in his way of praying…

Sweet Ganesh, Joyful, tender Brother and Friend, Your singing and your dancing are Nourishing, A rich and generous refinement Ready to sustain All efforts to progress On the Way…

- 18-02-10:

Arriving here, I find more litter than usual, along with obvious traces of some sort of puja just outside the gate, with half-burnt incense, empty wrappers, a matting of peanut shells and burnt camphor and, thrown inside the gate onto the path, 5 wilting white roses with a note rolled around their stems which reads: “My TRIBUTE to you didi my PRANAM to LORD GANESH 17-02-2010 AT 5 PM MADHU”...

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