The Entry

Gods enter this world in many ways. Each time they come down to the world it is with a purpose. Nothing highlights this more than the 10 avatars of Maha Vishnu.

Skanda is the 329th name of Vishnu appearing in stanza 36 of the Vishnu Sahasranama. He is the DESTROYER (of asuras and evil doers).

However, my Skanda is actually Skandapoorvaja, the one born before Subramanya or Karthikeya. Confused? He is Ganesha, Vinayaka, Ganapati, Vigneswara call him what you want. He is my little God. The center of my universe and everything I live and breathe for.

He came into this world quietly on 25th October, 2002. My first sight of him was outside the labour room all wrapped in flannel. Looking so tiny, wrinkled and helpless.

One thing I remember he had a lot of hair! What struck me instantly was that he looked uncannily like my grandmother. Perhaps it was the wrinkles.