Why do Hindus put up Ganesha statues at street corners during Chaturti?

It's that time of the year when clay and pottery are back in vogue in India. If you are wondering whether our middle class Indians have stopped splurging on posh chinaware and Tupperware and gone back to traditional cookery, let me douse your fears right away. We are talking about Ganesha Chaturti - the season when Ganesha comes visiting our homes and puts camp at street corners blessing paupers and posh alike. But why, of all, should we put up Ganesha statues in street corners, when we have temples in his name in every village and town. Let's dig a bit into our history a little bit and understand why.

My Belief in Rituals

It’s been quite sometime since I did any intense reading. So, this Sunday evening, as I sit gazing through my window, the strong gale blowing outside gave me the right excuse to stay indoors and bury myself into a book. The book was about demystifying traditions - the truth behind Hindu rituals.

I was able to strike common ground with the author's view that all ancient rituals have a certain scientific basis to them. Rituals are the distillation of centuries of wisdom and the spiritual efforts of innumerable spiritual masters. Rituals have lost their credibility today only because their true meaning has been lost upon the masses over time. The author goes on to say that “even if rituals seem irrelevant today, never underestimate the true potential of rituals.”

I truly and wholeheartedly believe in the scientific basis behind Indian traditions and rituals. However, my mind refuses to agree or believe in any ritual that which is incomprehensible. Practicing a ritual just because it might do me good, is per my view, selfish worship of God than any act of humane rationalism, which I believe should be the basis of any religion. Isn't this insaneness, the root cause for all the poison that has leeched into our tradition in the name of casteism and superstitions? Shouldn’t this evil be weeded off our religion or tradition or culture (or whatever you may like to term it)?

Religion is a process of correcting and setting right one's moral compass. The way by which a religion guides its followers to embrace this, changes with time.

In these times, where man has evolved from an animal hunting for food to an animal hunting for fame, the need for setting right the moral compass is greater than ever!