Vinayaka Chavithi

Told in English, Telugu.

It was Vinayaka Chavithi morning in Ammamma's house in Rajahmundry. Green mango leaves hung over the door. A little clay Ganesha sat on a wooden plank, with a tiny umbrella over his head. Chinnu sat close to Ammamma, sniffing the warm undrallu from the kitchen.

"Ammamma, why can't I look at the moon tonight?" asked Chinnu.

Ammamma smiled. "Come, sit. I will tell you."

Long, long ago, on this very day, little Ganesha went from house to house. Everyone loved him. Everyone gave him sweets. Kudumulu here, undrallu there, laddus everywhere! Ganesha ate and ate, until his round tummy was rounder than ever.

Big tummy, kind heart, that is our Ganesha!

Night came. Ganesha climbed onto his little friend, the mouse. "Home we go!" he said. The mouse puffed and pushed. Ganesha was very, very heavy now.

On the path lay a snake, curled up and sleeping. The mouse saw the snake and jumped in surprise. Oops! The mouse stumbled. Ganesha tumbled. Down he went, bump, onto the soft ground. And all his sweets rolled out, round and round, here and there.

Ganesha was not hurt. He sat up and picked up his sweets one by one. Then he gently tied the snake around his tummy, like a belt. "There," he said. "Now nothing will fall."

Big tummy, kind heart, that is our Ganesha!

But up in the sky, someone was watching. It was the Moon. The Moon saw Ganesha fall. He saw the sweets rolling. And the Moon laughed and laughed. "Ha ha ha! Look at that big tummy fall down!"

Ganesha looked up. His cheeks felt hot. It does not feel nice when someone laughs at you after you fall, does it?

"Moon," said Ganesha, "you laughed at someone who fell. That was unkind. From today, whoever looks at you on Chavithi night will be blamed for something they did not do."

The Moon stopped laughing. He felt very small. He hid his shining face. "I am sorry, Ganesha," he said softly. "I should not have laughed. Please forgive me."

Ganesha had a kind heart, and he could not stay upset for long. "I forgive you," he said. "Here is what we will do. Only on Chavithi night, people should not look at you. And if someone looks by mistake, let them hear this story and keep akshintalu on their head, and all will be well."

The Moon smiled again, a gentle smile, and shone softly on the whole world.

Big tummy, kind heart, that is our Ganesha!

"So that is why," said Ammamma, "we hear this story every Chavithi, and keep akshintalu on our heads."

Chinnu took a pinch of akshintalu from the plate and put it on his head. Then he put some on Ammamma's head too. They both laughed, a happy, kind laugh this time.

"Ammamma," said Chinnu, "if my friend falls down, I won't laugh. I will help him up."

"That is just what Ganesha would want," said Ammamma, and she gave him the very first warm undrallu.

Now, can you say it with me? Big tummy, kind heart, that is our Ganesha!