Today in this world, we are fighting and what wars are we waging? We are fighting for land, and faith. It is so sad that we seem to be going back in time.

Well, I have a story to share with you. It is about Ganesh Puja and the elephants. It is a tradition that the mahouts, who take care of the elephants have been Muslims. It is their family business and they have been doing this for the last three hundred years. The Mahouts are based in a village near Amer, Hathi Gaon (elephant village) in Rajasthan.

There will be a Ganapati Puja held from the 7th of September for three days. A Ganapati deity will be installed and worshipped for three days. There are sixty families living in and around this village. Twenty to thirty elephants will also participate in the puja along with mahouts. The deity will be immersed in the village pond, after three days.

The president of the Hathi Gaon Vikas Samiti (Elephant Village Improvement Committee), Ballu Khan said that these elephants are symbols of Lord Ganesha. They have sustained all the mahouts and their families. Therefore, a puja is in order and they have always venerated these noble creatures. This is the first time they are performing Ganapati puja and it is also to demonstrate that Hindus and Muslims live in harmony. A Hindu priest will conduct the three-day puja.

Please dear ones, let us all join our hands in prayer and ask for the end of all wars and dissonance.

Aim Hrim Klim