Welcoming Ganesha

Lord Ganesha is most sought after and worshiped deities in India. He is always been my favorite in real life as well as in my drawings. We celebrate this festival for the sake of celebrating, to keep our traditions alive. I am not doing a very good job of following it, but I want my children to be aware of it, just as I have beautiful memories of Chaturthi. My day never ends without praying the Lord. Of the very few festivals that we celebrate, we try to celebrate this in a traditional way, be it offering Ganesha's favorite sweets, Garike grass or singing Ganesh Bhajan/Shlokas. In the evening it's a visit to a temple, followed by visits to  houses where idols are kept. Most of our neighbors, friends keep Ganesha idols at home, it's also to judge whose idol is best.

In art world Ganesha is the most flexible subject. The elephant head makes him unique and instantly identify the subject. There are thousands of ways of drawing this God. I have tried to incorporate the spirit of the festival into the paper. These are my humble attempts and the originals are more beautiful. Hope Lord Ganesha blesses me to be do more, strive more and achieve what I want, more than anything else find the satisfaction in my work.

First one was done with acrylic colors, and later filling the background with black gel pen.

This Madhubani style Ganesha is found it in my Pinterest board. I experimented with outline this time. Usually I use black marker pens for the outlining, this time I used size 000 brush. I wasn't consistent with the thickness of lines and so you can see. I have used acrylic on handmade paper.

Vividh Bharathi : My all time companion

I am growing old listening to Radio more than watching T.V.  Television was a fad at the time in India while I was growing up and owning a T.V wasn't easy where as Radio reigned in most of the middle class families.
Radio always bring the nostalgic moments of my childhood. My love for radio started when I was in 1st grade, that time it was the only way to keep ourselves updated with current affairs other than newspapers and magazines. How I used to love listening to film songs on radio after lunch break in the afternoons. It was broken few years here and there due to job, studying but it's still one of my favorite activity. No, I don't spend time sitting in front of it but entertains me by playing in the background all the time. For me, be it Sakhi Saheli, Jayamala or Hit Superhit, if it's playing radio it has to be Vividh Bharthi channel.
Vividh Bharthi because it still plays decades old songs, less nonsense,less talking, literally no commercials. The programs are informative, entertaining and soothing to your mind.

Remember Jayamala program played for the soldiers on fronts?You get to listen tips, thoughts, recipes for many women on Sakhi Saheli programs in the afternoon along with melodious songs.
While Aaj ke Fankar is about any personalities from Indian Film Industry, Man Chahe Geet in the afternoons is for requesting songs. I am swept away when sometimes my favorite Kishore Da song is played and as a result I hum along.

Many time my kids felt overwhelmed when my requested song was played announcing my name. 😁 I know it's silly but they find it great.

Understanding my affinity for radio my husband bought a small portable/ plug gable radio for me from his visit abroad and it's become an enviable among my relatives. We do sometimes have heated argument when my husband changes the channel by rotating the delicate knob. I do remind him of my ownership.

So my readers, do you listen too to Vivid Bharathi like me? Or you find it out of date?