Happy Diwali everyone, and welcome to Elephants Never!
Today, more than a billion people worldwide will light candles, say prayers over flames, and shoot off fireworks. We will celebrate the triumph of light over dark and the renewal of our family bonds. We will turn up the music, dance, and enjoy the Hindu festival of Diwali with our families. And quite a few of us will invoke Ganesha, elephant-headed god of new beginnings and remover of obstacles.
But first, I want to invite you to share Diwali and some playful pachyderms with me.
Diwali in Our House
My wife’s family comes from Pakistan originally, although more of her relatives call India and the U.S. home these days. They speak Sindhi and attend Hindu worship services. And here on Staten Island, her family also celebrates the U.S. holidays. Since Diwali takes place mid-autumn, it kicks off a festive season that includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Each year, my mother-in-law gathers the family at her home for Diwali. In the living room, she sets out the low table with the simple shrine holding statues of Lord Rama and Sita, deities whose return from exile we honor on Diwali. Statues of the gods Lakshmi and Ganesha flank the shrine, while a cassette player or phone nearby plays religious music. Incense sticks burn next to the shrine. And a multitude of candles, lamps, and electric lights on strings make the room glow brilliantly.
We each take a turn washing our faces in flame and offering prayers. Mom spoils us with sweets and home-cooked dinner. Dad throws cash around and breaks out the sparklers. Our four-year-old son loves to join in, decorating, praying, and enjoying sparklers after dinner.
Lights continue to gleam in every room until the last person heads to bed. Diwali feels like Christmas, like Eid, like warmth and joy. If you’ve never had the chance to join a Diwali celebration, I recommend you find an opportunity.
On to the elephants…
Publishing Pachyderms
I confess I’ve had some trepidation about starting this endeavor, about launching this website. Often when I try to do something creative, I get so caught up in wanting to make it good, that I forget to simply make it. Plus, I am near enough to middle age that learning new tricks (buying a domain, joining Twitter) brings anxiety. So I have procrastinated.
Today, however, we honor Ganesha, elephant-headed god of new beginnings and remover of obstacles. It feels right to start something new today, and to put aside fear. Ganesha favors the arts, and, well, he looks a lot like the characters you will meet on this site.
So for now, enjoy my take on the famous saying, “Elephants never forget.” Then come back each week to explore other, less common proverbs and tales about what elephants never do.
Happy Diwali!
शुभ दीपावली