Aadi - God of Beginnings

          Art by Pavithra Vishwanathan

             

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Aadi - God of Beginnings 

Ganesha is a combination of two words. Gana is the group and Isha is the ruler of groups.  

As Ekadanta, he is worshipped as the patron of literature, who acted as a scribe that scripted Mahabharata, when dictated by Veda Vyasa. It is to this God we bow to lead us through beginnings and help us see any venture through finish,while eliminating  obstacles that come our way.

Muthuswami Dikishitar's magnum opus, Vatapi Ganapathim Bhaje, is one of the most popular kritis in Indian music. Set to Raga Hamsadhwani, Dikshitar goes on to praise Ganesha and highlights facts that are associated with beginnings.

Moolaadhaara KshEtraa Stitam 

Drawing focus to his goverance of  Mooladhara Chakra, the foundation of  physical structure and the energy body,  this root chakra, the first of  seven chakras, is associated with the earth element. Balancing this chakra grounds us to stability in life.

Deriving energy from the primordial chakra, the first note, Sa (Shadja) moves from the earth to the energy of cosmos, further on to Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, DHa, Ni and then to Taar saptak of Sa, that epitomizes the energy of cosmos. It can also be noted here that the sapta swaras trace their way back to Sama Veda. Swaras are said to have originated  from the sounds of animals and birds. 

Shadja - Peacock

Rishabha - Ox
Gandhara - Goat
Madhyama - Krouncha Bird
Panchama - Cuckoo
Dhaivata - Horse
Nishada - Elephant

Raga Hamsadhwani in Vatapi Ganapathim  is  associated with the notes Gandhara (Ga) and Nishada (Ni), the latter is often compared with an elephant's sound, befitting the elephant-headed God. The consonants of these notes, Ga and Na appear as the first consonants in the name of Ga-Na-pathi. 

Paraadi Chattvaari Vaagaatmagam

This kriti also talks about Ganesha's presence in four stages of speech. 

Para
Pashyanti
Madhyama
Vaikhari

PraNava Swaroopa VakratunDam 
Ganesha is the embodiment of the  pranava mantra, Omkara -The three syllables of Om – A, U and M  representing his feet (Charana), stomach (Udara) and head (Mastaka).

Dikshitar's solo composition in Hamsadhwani, was composed on Vatapi Ganapathi, a deity enshrined in Thiruchenkattankudi Uthrapathiswaraswamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva  in Tamil Nadu. Although Lord Shiva is the patron deity of the shrine, this temple is popular for two Ganeshas.  A unique idol of Ganesha with a human head, and the other shrine is dedicated to the idol of Vatapi Ganapati. This place also happens to be the birth place of Muthuswami Dikshitar.

Our minds journey into this space as we listen to M.S. Subbulakshmi's rendition of this divine composition. It is to this spirit, that I pray and open the segment of The Raaga Reads to writers, music enthusiasts, aficionados, to share your thoughts and flood this space with harmony and melody.