Prachi now knows the whole of Ramayan and many others from Indian mythology. The story of Lord Ganesh getting an elephant head is the one I have been telling since the age she has started listening to stories. After a long interval I thought of telling her that story again a couple of days back. The story starts from Parvathi creating a kid, the kid Ganesh refusing to let Shiva into the house followed by the fight finally ending up with Shiva cutting off Ganesha’s head.
Me: Baabu, then Shiva’s servants go in search of a head into the forest. They see an elephant sleeping. They cut off its head and bring. Then Lord Brahma joins it to Ganesha’s head and that’s how he has an elephant head.
Prachi: But why cut elephant’s head? He was just sleeping on his own. He is innocent. (Elephant paap nayve)
I told her Bhima’s story where Bhima kills the rakshas Hidimba and marries his sister Hidimbi. They have a kid and then eventually Kunti and her sons leave the forest and go to a village near by.
Prachi: Who go to the village?
Me: Kunti, that is Pandavas’ mom and all the five Pandavas
Prachi: And what about Hidimbi and kid?
Me: They stay in the forest.
Prachi: But then they should have gone, right? Why did Bhima leave his kid?
For a moment I was left with no words. Prachi did not like this situation where Bhima leaves his family behind. I knew if I did not give a decent explanation Bhima would become a villain instead of a hero.
Me: Look babba, Hidimbi is a rakshasi and rakshas can’t go out of the forest and humans should not stay in the forest. Humans should live in towns and rakshasas in the jungle, right?
My baby was happy and so was I!
Note: Rakshas= bad giant
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