Dusk, marking the transition from day to night is an auspicious time for prayer. As kids, after school and play, we would wash our hands and feet, and gather in front of the family shrine for a small prayer. Mother would light a small oil lamp at the altar and lead our prayers. We started our evening prarthana with a short verse to Ganapati – the Bestower of Wisdom. Here we request Ganapati to drive away ignorance and lower the hurdles in our path to attaining wisdom.

This is the first of two Marathi language prayers in this book. The colloquial phrasing and language was easier for us children to read and understand. This was the first prayer I learned, even before the Gayatri mantram, which I started to recite only after my Upanayanam – the sacred thread ceremony.

First, lets pray to Ganapati
Bestower of wisdom,
Ocean of kindness.
Drive away our ignorance, and
Guide us to wisdom,
Glory, Rider of the peacock!
Banish away our worries,
Hardships, vices and sorrows.
Protector of the downtrodden,
Guide us your devotees
To peace and happiness!