About the picture: I got this idol as a wedding gift from my librarian, who brought it for me all the way from Mathura. The idol of Shiva and Parvati with Ganesha on their lap, sits proudly in the temple at my house. I share a special bond with Komal Ma’am, she was the first person to not just recommend books to me, but also get my feedback after I returned it to her in due course. How I miss my fun-filled college days!

Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati had two sons, Lord Ganesha and Lord Karthikeya (Murugan). While both were very loved, the gods were puzzled over who was smarter. They went out to Bhrama, the creator of the Universe to get an answer, but […]