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Ghanshyam calls the moon down

 

One Sharad Poornima evening, Bhaktimata was seated on the well in front of the house. She had Ghanshyam cradled in her lap. The full moon was high in the night sky. 

Ghanshyam turned to Bhaktimata, “Didi, I want that moon.” 

“Dear Ghanshyam. My darling Ghanshyam. The moon cannot come down here”, taught Bhaktimata. 

A little while later, Ghanshyam repeated, “Mother, please call it down.” 

“If you have the desire to have it in your hands, you call the moon down yourself”, Bhaktimata replied in frustration. 

Ghanshyam lifted his hand and opened and closed his fingers, beckoning the moon to come to him. 

Immediately, the moon took human form and came to Ghanshyam accompanied by his 27 wives. He was dressed in all white, wearing a crown on his head and cladded with ornate jewellery. 

The wives brought clothes, pots of sandalwood paste and flowered garlands. They dressed Ghanshyam Maharaj while the Moon applied the paste to his forehead. They all garlanded Ghanshyam and completed the poojan ritual. 

Having completed the poojan thus, the Moon begged leave and left with his entourage back to the night sky and disappeared into the moon. 

Bhaktimata watched all of this with great amazement and told this story to all the residents of Chhapaiya, with great pride. The village residents were very pleased to hear of the event.