......Well, you see what happened was... AKA the Ganesha Festival

Devotee with their faces covered with colored powder dance in an alley during a procession on the ninth day of the ten-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai September 27, 2012. Ganesh idols are taken through the streets in a procession accompanied by dancing and singing and later immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual seeing-off of his journey towards his abode, taking away with him the misfortunes of all mankind. 

"Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, also known as 'Vinayak Chaturthi' or 'Vinayaka Chavithi' is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man. All join in this final procession shouting "Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya" (O father Ganesha, come again early next year). After the final offering is made, people carry the idol to the river to immerse it.

The whole community comes to worship Ganesha in beautifully done tents. These also serve as the venue for free medical checkup, blood donation camps, charity for the poor, dramatic performances, films, devotional songs, etc. during the days of the festival." ---hinduism.about.com/


Okay, I know this isn't either of the two things we are supposed to discuss and it isn't my quiz yet... but I found this and had to blog it! I just want to note the looks of happiness and excitment of those in the foreground as they march for their religion! That is a love for who they are and for the One(s) they worship!

When I saw this picture off of Yahoo, It really intrigued me to read more about this holiday. And the more that I read about it, the more I realized it is eerily similar to both the resurrection of Jesus and Baptism.  I am not sure if that is just my long church history bubbling up in me, but hello?! Being immersed in a river to take away the misfortunes (sins) of mankind?! Jesus and the cross?! Us being baptized?! I find it extremely intriguing that something like this can so similarly mimic the Christian/Jewish tradition/religion.

This picture just reminds me of those I know who have been baptized and of my own baptism.  I love watching full body baptisms because of their faces as they rise out of the water.  You can see that ss they go down there is this tension in them.  A kind of suppressed excitement and expectation as they enter this symbolic cleansing of the soul.  Then, the soon-to-be-new-creation enters the water.  The audience holds their breath for those couple of seconds as they wait.  Then, the new Creation comes back to the world, gasping for air.  And as soon as that initial breath enters their lungs, this uncontrollable smile of joy hits their face.  This face that shows their insatiable love of God has now been proclaimed to the world by this symbolic cleansing of the soul.  And the crowd just goes wild! At least, that's how it is at my church! Most of the crowd is on their feet crying and yelling and clapping in excitement.

This excitement is what I see in this picture.  They get it! They realize that through this they are forgiven of man's misfortunes.  And I love how they symbolically show that in their festivities by helping those who need help.  I think this is such a beautiful way to celebrate ones problems being taken away from them and being forgiven.  And I thought I would share this with you guys! :)