This Blog is about the feelings I experienced in the presence of Living God. Yes, you heard it right. Lakshmi the Elephant which resides in the premises of Virupaksha Temple is the living incarnation of Lord Ganesh, a symbol of success and a remover of obstacles. It’s how the whole trip turned up into.
I sometimes think and believe that words are not invented to describe some emotions, events, and moments.
It was the time of Ganesh Chaturthi, an Indian Festival for Lord Ganesh, who is famous worldwide for his intellect and is the most lovable God of all. He is the Supreme Deity and as per Indian Mythology, he is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is known as the Lord of Obstacles, the one who would even remove all the obstacles from your path.
He can be easily recognized because of an Elephant head. Let me give a little History of how did Lord Ganesh get an Elephant head, the story in our history says Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva was alone at home and wanted to have a bath. To guard the entrance, Parvati created a human child – Ganesha – out of the earth and asked him to guard the entrance while she took a bath. While Parvati was bathing, Lord Shiva came to the scene and wanted to enter the house. However, Ganesha blocked him from entering saying that it was his mother’s orders not to allow anyone inside. Enraged, Lord Shiva cut off Ganesha’s head and entered the house. Parvati, upon learning this, was overcome with grief. Upon learning that Ganesha was his own son, Lord Shiva felt sad too. Parvati then asked Lord Shiva to go down the Himalayas (their abode), cut off the head of the first animal he sees, and splice it onto the headless body of Ganesha. The first animal Lord Shiva found was an elephant and that is how Lord Ganesha came to have the elephant’s head and thus, infinite wisdom.
Every resident here is familiar with this gentle creature, and almost every tourist takes time out to visit Hampi’s most famous animal.
What’s so great about her?
I was too excited and fascinated and wanted to go see her while going our Hotel guy told me that you have come on a great occasion and how lucky I am to be in Hampi during the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi, he said you should go to the Virupaksha Temple and take blessings from Lakshmi the Goddess, I was listening and he continued, that Lakshmi is the living incarnation of Lord Ganesh himself.
He informed that one can even get the sight of these huge charming elephant at the Tungabhadra river where she goes for a bath and even plays around while everyone is watching. She spills water on the people through her trunk and is one of the beautiful sights to be seen.
I am a believer in God and Lord Ganesh is one of my favourites so next was to rush to the temple to get the blessings.
I had to wait for a while for her to arrive at the temple, and her mahouts take care of her nicely, but why not she supports the livelihood of both her mahout’s families along with the people who harvest sugarcane, banana and grass which in turn goes as her food bought by all tourists coming to take her blessings.
The life of the mahouts is not easy as they don’t come from rich families and their struggle is real and all they depend on is the money earned because of Lakshmi giving her blessings.
Elephants have a different sense of understanding and the bond of a mahout and the elephant is that of a lifetime as the elephants usually just get friendly and have a bond and connection with a single person.
I was delighted at the sight of Goddess Lakshmi entering the temple, I was well prepared with banana’s to feed her and of course to get the blessings from her.
To get the blessing one needs to have a Ten Rupee Note, you keep the money in front of her trunk, she would first sniff it, then she would pinch the money with her long trunk, deliver it to her mahout, and then, in a movement, she would slowly tweak her trunk and very slowly put her heavy trunk on your head, a symbol of a blessing.
I love the way she keeps the trunk on the head so careful not to harm or hurt the person seeking the blessing.
I must say I was little greedy, and thanks to no one being around I had more time with her, so I requested her mahout that I want to put my head on her trunk and really take the blessing in a different manner. I wanted to exchange energies and words, and while I was doing that I slowly put my palms on her trunk and then moved forward to put my head, she was huge and steady and gave me all the comfort to be fearless and take the blessing the way I wanted.
I could sense that she could hear my thoughts and my feelings and she smilingly gave me the blessing and it was like my prayers are being heard somewhere.
These moments I can’t put in simple words because it was just not goosebumps it was more, more of words yet to be invented.
Yes, I could feel some strong energy and yes I am happy to have taken blessings from her and to return back home with a smile on my face.
Truly few obstacles from my life did fade away, and I would surely give the entire credit to Lakshmi, the Elephant – the living incarnation of Lord Ganesh.
If you go to Hampi don’t miss seeking her blessings.
Must have been an interesting experience right
Romeer, I have one more reason added to the list, to visit Hampi. It seems you had a lifetime experience. There are few things which noone can understand other than us, and what you felt fall under that category. I hope to get blessed by her someday.
Ahh this was such a sweet read; what a beautiful experience ; i have great reverence & belief in the energy of these beings & do feel they bless us. Would really want to experience firsthand soon.
You actually gave me a reason to visit Hampi atleast once! Even though Karnataka is my native place I never made a priority to visit this religious and Beautiful place.