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Miracle or mass hysteria?

Eleven years since Ganpati idols last drank milk, reader recounts the hysteria that surrounded the miracles.

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Ramesh Seth

COLABA: On this day in 1995, idols of Ganapati started drinking milk. Early in the morning, this phenomenon was first noticed somewhere in Delhi.

The news spread fast and people rushed to Ganapati temples to offer milk. Milk would be placed below his trunk and he would sip the milk and empty the spoon. Devotees considered themselves blessed that their offerings were accepted by the Lord himself.

I first heard of it in the afternoon. Although it was a strange news, I accepted it at face value. After all, miracles have happened before. So, hearing about it I let it rest there. I did not try to go to any temple nor did I offer any milk.

My wife, of course immediately rushed to the nearby Ganesh temple. Later, she told me that the Lord accepted her milk offering as well. She was surprised at the unusual phenomenon, but was very happy that she too was blessed.

Later, our daughter called us from Delhi. It seemed that the Lord had discriminated between her and her friends. The friends’ offerings were accepted but not our daughter’s. My wife suggested that she try once again. This time, the Lord had mercy on her and accepted her offering as well. Thus, there was peace and harmony among the friends.

As night descended in India, it was dawn in America. My friend’s daughter there heard about it. Since there was no Ganapati temple nearby, she offered the milk to the Ganapati statue she had at home. At first, the Ganapati refused to oblige.

She kept trying. Ultimately, the Lord took pity on her and sipped a spoonful of milk. She immediately called her mother in Mumbai to convey her success.

Throughout the day, all of India had gone berserk. Either it was a miracle or a case of mass hysteria. Even the hardest of the skeptics did not miss the opportunity to offer milk to Ganesh. What was stranger was that Ganapati statues all over India and abroad decided to drink milk on that particular day. Several journalists recorded the miracle live.

The next day, rationalists tried to debunk the phenomenon by explaining it with theories. The theories were as unbelievable as Ganapati drinking milk.

Now, the main question — why did this miracle take place only on September 21? The answer — it happened to be my birthday.

 

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