Thursday, October 9, 2008

Line up for the blessings

Though it originally began as a day to worship weapons, Ayudha Puja has long ago moved on to be a day to worship the tools and implements of one's trade. Yesterday was the day of the Ayudha Puja and across the city, all kinds of 'tools', from CNC machines to computers, were cleaned and decked up for the puja. Almost every vehicle had a garland of flowers in front of it. Offices had had their signboards washed and sprayed with sandal-paste & kunkumam.

On Harrington Road last evening, these autorickshaws were lined up to participate in a puja being conducted by their welfare association. They looked all nice and neat, washed, polished and with smears of sandalwood paste. Though they all look the same anyway, the effect was even better with small banana stems on either side of the vehicle, all of equal size - and then the standardized garlands making them almost indistingushable.

It was a nice sight alright, but that didn't stop one from wishing these folks would swear to turn over a new leaf in their treatment of passengers!


3 comments:

LVISS said...

This year I saw only token worship. It was business as usual. Only auto drivers decorated their vehicles. When I queried one shop owner whether he would keep the shop closed he merely said the pooja was over.

sreesnake said...

I am of the firm opinion that during these 'pujas' the auto drivers re-dedicate themselves to another spell of thuggery!! "God..please help us successfully fleece passengers as we have always been doing"...Pah!!

Shantaram said...

>> Ravindran>> I know, it seemed rather muted this year. Sub-prime worries?

>> Sree>> Hmmm... maybe you have a point, there!