Sour grapes!

I have a problem with short stories and the inevitable moral that has to be derived from them.

Sometimes, the moral is right, but the story is questionable, at least for the mind of a child. Take the story of the "Thirsty Crow". We agree that the crow was clever and as an Indian bird, took recourse to "jugaad"- that "desi" trait to make things "work" with a crafty and street smart mind. But what you don't want is for your curious two-year old to take the story too seriously and try the experiment out with the glass of milk... and in the process, swallow both the milk and the pebble! It is a serious possibility with absolutely horrendous consequences, something which the story in all its simplicity just doesn't bother about.

Sometimes, the story is wrong and the moral is also wrong. We go to that story of the woodpecker which pulled out the bone stuck to the throat of the lion. That's exactly why the first story has a problem! Evidently, the lion appears to have towed the crow's line and put pieces of bone along with its water in its water-bowl and yes... paid a very dear price.
Anyway, coming back to this story, the lion, on a different day was ungrateful and wouldn't share its food with the woodpecker. It is known to have remarked to the woodpecker- "I could have swallowed you when you tried to remove the bone from my throat. But I didn't. Be thankful for that and don't disturb me!"
There are some factual anomalies here. How could the lion have swallowed the woodpecker when the bone was already stuck to its throat? Wouldn't the thought- what if the woodpecker also gets stuck along with the bone...crossed the lion's mind!? Or does the story mean... that after pulling out the bone, the woodpecker would have gone in...for a second inspection, to see if the throat was now perfectly fine and on this second attempt, the lion would have had the possibility to consume the woodpecker? The story is obviously flawed with some gaping holes in its plot line.
The woodpecker flew away. At a later point in time, when the lion was asleep, it pecked off one of the eyes of the lion. The lion howled in pain and questioned the woodpecker. The woodpecker is said to have retorted-"I could have blinded you in both eyes. But I didn't. Be thankful for that and don't disturb me!" The moral of the story is of course "Tit for tat".
A popular story all right.. which finds a mention in most picture books that we read out to children. It is left to the reader to imagine what impact it could have on the fertile, tender mind of a child-  leading to a society which justifies revenge and each person bays for the other's blood.
Thankfully, children are a lot more intelligent than we make them out to be. They take the story only at face value, memorize it, parrot it verbatim in class (along with the moral)... when their story-telling turn comes and are off in a flash to some other sensible activity.

The third possibility in the analysis of short stories is....where the story is right, but we have got the moral completely wrong. The fox entered a vineyard and tried to get the grapes which were a little too high. After jumping a few times, he is said to have slunk away with the remark "These are sour grapes". We laugh at the fox.
The question is... what else is the fox expected to do? Obviously, the grapes were too high and couldn't be reached. Do we want the fox to keep jumping till he possibly perishes out of sheer exhaustion!? 
Or do we resent only the remark of the fox- "these are sour grapes"? Again....what is the problem with this conclusion? Let's say that the grapes in that vineyard were all sour. In that case, it would simply be a statement of a fact and perfectly fine.
That's exactly where we poke at the fox- he didn't know that the grapes were sour but simply assumed that they were. Now....what should the fox have said? Do we want the fox to have a life-long complex that he is a downright loser ....because in a particular vineyard, on a specific creeper...some of the sweetest of grapes existed but he couldn't reach them? A conclusion such as that, would have surely nailed the fox's future.

The fox was right. May be, the sweetest of grapes existed, may be not. He tried a few times. He couldn't be faulted for lack of effort. He was pragmatic and gave up an exercise in futility. Most importantly, he made peace with himself with the remark.."these are sour grapes". He was mentally at ease. He moved on....moved on... to greener pastures where the sweetest of grapes sprang from the ground and required no effort at all!
Such is life. Be that frisky fox. Be a winner!!


 

Wrapping up the trip

When Lady Luck finally smiles, she doesn't just smile... she laughs!! How else can you explain this? A full flight from San Francisco to Dubai spanning over 15 tiresome hours- While the rest of humanity is packed like sardines for the entire duration, I get a window seat with no one sitting either in the next seat or the one next to that!! Enough room for me to even do somersaults!

Needless to say, I found it impossible to wipe the smile off my face for the entire journey. Though I tried to avoid eye contact as far as possible (which is always risky in these circumstances), it was tough not to be pierced by shafts of envy from many a pair of eyes! Also, when providence has favoured you in such a special way, you don't want to make a hash of it by being overly chatty and inviting unwanted company! That would be perfectly fine another day. Not for a 15 hour plane journey in economy class. Hence, I tried to be as aloof and unsociable as possible and I must say... I rather enjoyed my flight!!! A most despicable attitude all right, but under the circumstances, may be, a tad legitimate.

Never saw darkness the entire 15 hour journey! By nightfall, the flight was already in the upper reaches of Canada where the sun doesn't set till about 11:00 pm. Close to midnight, the flight was near the North Pole. The sun hovered around the horizon all the time, but never set! By 1:30 am, the airplane was over the Arctic Ocean and the sky was lit up as if it was 7:00 am in the morning! From then on, it was bright sunshine all the way.. right through Russia and Iran till it reached Dubai late in the evening.

Cloudscapes are fascinating- they seem to have topographical features of their own when viewed from an airplane. Flat and creamy, they extend like ice-fields all the way to the horizon, sometimes, fluffy and jagged like rock formations and at times, like a cliff edge... they end abruptly... only to reveal the actual ground... way below... where fields, mountains and the occasional river winds its way. The rays of the sun lit up one side of the clouds and created some of the most brilliant skyscapes.

Wrapping up in the Bay Area wasn't easy- I just about had time to pack up and rush to the airport. I seem to have somehow made a lot of purchase so that the two suitcases are full. I actually had to leave behind an old pair of jeans, my old shoes and even some underwear to make room for the new stuff!
Of course, underwear wouldn't occupy space or contribute to weight. But the dryer at the Hotel had other ideas. After the wash and dry, they all appear a size smaller and seem to squeeze the life out of me! Hence, had little choice but to leave them behind (except of course for the journey). And yes, I did inform the Hotel front desk about it. Last thing you want is a reputation that Indians vacate hotels without their underwear!! This is dark humour all right, but these are facts nonetheless, which need to be documented in appropriate detail!

In a few hours, I should be in Bangalore. It's truly disorienting no doubt- You are driving around El-Camino with the mountains behind you.. with a song on your lips and suddenly, that entire world view completely changes.

I can picture myself at Bengaluru, standing at one one of the BMTC bus stops. I can't read Kannada letters or numbers. As a bus comes by, I need to holler, "Gottigere! Gottigere!! Hogatta?" If the conductor responds in the affirmative, I get on the bus. He offers me a ticket to Gottigere. But I don't want to go to Gottigere. I want to go to Kalena Agrahara!

"Why did you shout Gottigere Gottigere then?"  the conductor questions, positively confused.
"Well, that's because Kalena Agrahara is too big a name! By then, the bus would have moved on and I wouldn't have got an answer from you!!" I offer an explanation.

The conductor shrugs his shoulders... in disapproval.. completely baffled by his passengers and their IQ!!
Bengaluru, here I come!

The disclaimer

“Sir, it is our bounden duty to inform you that there is a fair chance that a snake may be found in your room! Yes, snakes here are poisonous! We are required by law to let our inmates know!”
“Thanks for the information, but is there another room which is safer?”
“No sir, this entire area is at risk.”
“Then, how about the places on the other side of the road? Surely, there is some place which is protected?”
“Well, we’ve never found a snake that we know of, but we are required by law to inform all our inmates about the potential problem..however unlikely it may be.. and yes.. to repeat, there’s no place which is free from this threat!”

This conversation is of course fictitious, but should this inform-exchange occur, you would have scared the day lights out of this gentleman. For sure, he will never sleep. He’ll be racked with fantasy centred on all kinds of snakes and in all kinds of postures… vipers, cobras, pythons.. wriggling over the bed, raising their hood from the sofa and tucked even in the restroom. You get the drift…the gentleman will be in a living hell!

A prominent coffee joint has just this kind of information displayed at its store. To paraphrase, it says-“When coffee beans are roasted or when coffee is brewed, it releases a chemical which is known to cause the most dreaded disease (whose name must never be mentioned)”. The display ends with an Act number to add credence to the notice. This is displayed strategically- just where the sugar sachets are placed so that it will never be missed. Also,  It’s not specific to  *a*  store- every store displays it now.  Through this pronouncement, the entire world of coffee from Guatemala to South India is suddenly under the scanner.
What do we do? May be, I can give up coffee.

Next, I entered a workplace in another part of the city. Right beside the main entrance is another notice- “This facility and areas surrounding it have chemicals which are known to cause reproductive defects and the most dreaded disease (whose name must never be mentioned)." As in the previous case, another “section” and “subclause” formalise this decree.
Now...What do we do? Move to a different location or change the job?

In dismay, I went to cool off in one of the reputed “Art and Crafts” store. Surely, paints and brushes hold no threat. But no! Some paints are marked with a disclaimer that they contain lead which can of course lead to deleterious consequences.  Then, "self-hardening clay"…that most ordinary material... used even by school kids..is also marked with a warning- the ingredients are again questionable.

So now, I’ve come to a pass where I can’t drink coffee, I can’t go to the workplace and of course I can’t pursue a hobby.

In what way am I better equipped with this piece of information, if it is not accompanied with a viable alternative?  Other than providing an employment opportunity to the sign board painter, in what way is it beneficial to anyone else?
More people are likely to be mentally traumatised and sick in mind than those who could contract the ailment, if at all these findings are actually substantiated.

I wasn't willing to let it pass. I went to the attendant who worked at the coffee store, pulled him out and asked him what it meant? He screwed his eyes... looked at the display for the longest possible time and finally said "Weird! I've never read that one before! But it's been there for a long time!!"

"Dude, this is your store. You run it, you don't know what it means?"

"Sir, I swear... no one.. no one.. till date has ever read it. You're the first one!!"

Rental car

"Steven, there is a problem with this car. I can't get the keys out after parking it. I need help!" I complained, just after I rented a Nissan Versa and had barely taken it for a spin in the parking area. Steven had a quick-fix. "Sometimes, the steering wheel gets locked. Move it this way and that. You will be able to get the keys out." "Steven, I've tried that out. If I apply any more pressure and try to yank it out, the steering wheel will soon be in my hand! I already fear that in my effort to get the key out, I've possibly broken it into two!"
The problem was strange. For the next 15 minutes, the two of us tried to troubleshoot the issue together. "I don't want this car... I can't call you each time I run into this key-stuck issue! Just get me another one!", I protested- a bad beginning didn't auger very well. Steven didn't listen to me and was busy trying all sorts of things. Suddenly, it clicked..."Sir, you have the gear set to neutral! It should be in "parking" to get the key out." Looking at his furrowed brow, for a second, it looked as if he would cancel my rental car policy. Obviously, you don't want to hand over the keys of your car to a rookie who has starting trouble.. this basic! I mumbled a quick apology and raced out of the rental complex!

I got my first license in North America....that too, with an automatic transmission. But in 6 years of driving in India with a stick-shift, a point as fundamental as this had got erased completely from memory! Driving in these two places is literally poles apart and I felt tentative and uneasy. You can't make a mistake when you drive in the US. Every move has to be spot-on and calibrated.
In India, there are no mistakes! We accommodate everyone- you can drive on the opposite of our "highway" too... just ensure that you blink the headlights a few times! If your car is stalled, no problem! You can leave the car in the middle of the road. Just pluck a few leaves and twigs from the way-side tree and decorate your car with it. That's signal enough for other cars to move out of the way! As simple and practical as that!!
Plus, the ease of yanking your neck out of the car.. and asking any car speeding by or any biped on the road for directions..... makes us feel in control... all the time! Just remember one basic rule- if you are in North India, you ask for directions beginning your sentence with "bhaisaab"; in Karnataka with "Guru!"... and in Tamil Nadu with "Saar.. saar hello!"



"I don't think I can drive here! It's way too difficult! I just cannot use my right leg and left hand. I'm used to driving with both my feet and using my right hand for turn signals!!" Each time I negotiated a turn, I used the right hand by reflex... and had the wipers swinging madly. It was terribly frustrating. Plus the right turn had to be taken immediately in the US. Left turns had to be wide.
Like a right hand batsman told to bat left... that too against Dale Steyn's pace on a green-top... it was challenging to put it mildly.

But I took my time. Just to the office and back.. the first few days. I also chanted a mantra loudly as I drove... "left hand.. right foot... left hand.. right foot... right-turn immediately... left-turn wide... left hand.. right foot...right-turn immediately.....left-turn...!!"
And then.... it all came back. By the fifth day, I was driving on 237 and El Camino and San Tomas... with the ease of a pro. The pleasure of driving in the US... Ah!!

Not that I was driving a Ferrari! Steven ensured that he rented out the most basic model to me. This car was a hatch-back which would not even lock all doors together. You had to manually unlock the door to let someone in. As far as the windows were concerned, they had a manual lever. Surely, even TATA Nano has better features than this! But I liked my Nissan Versa... as basic and utilitarian as a car should be- chalti ka naam gaadi! Kyon? Aap sehmat hain naa.. meri baaton se!!? Kyon!?

Indian stores

India has moved on, but Indian Stores in the Bay Area haven't. Like those protagonists in films who suffer from selective amnesia, these stores are stuck to an India which is passe and simply refuse to grow up. 

It's the last weekend in the Bay Area and it was a good opportunity to swing by the Indian stores we used to frequent years ago. The current pictures matched line-for-line with those etched in memory.....just the way we align a picture traced out.... with the original copy!  So exact was the match!

Spotting an Indian Store is simple. You don't need Google maps. The scent of spice will waft through the air and drag you into the store! This is not an overstatement. I've no idea how the fragrance (for want of a better term) is contained in India. India anyway has all kinds of sights, sounds and smells- there is no one thing which particularly overpowers you. But in the US, these stores draw your attention like no other. The entire air enveloping the store... the parking lot, the pavement, the street.. right down to the other side of the road is redolent with a heady mix of garam masala and a host of other pungent spices.

The Indian store is well...like..... India. Bronze idols of Sai baba, Ganeshji and Nataraj sit side by side without the slightest protest... next to bottles of  gongura achar (pickle) and Dabur Chywanprash!!  It is the sheer bewildering variety....from the sublime to the seemingly ridiculous that you are assailed with... almost as if a child in mischievous glee...emptied the entire toy box face down...and watched the contents scatter away in all directions!

Agarbattis, puja bells, parachute oil, vicks, amrutanjan, calendars with garish pictures of Durga Mata with bold letters in vernacular, rusks, chikkis, chivdas... suddenly a wooden elephant or a porcelain Buddha..tins of Bournvita, Horlicks, Boost..... a boxful of "rakhis", asafoetida ("hing"), toothpowder, DVDs of mindless movies in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu...all piled up in a haphazard heap... the list goes on and on! Mukesh's mournful melodies from a dim and distant past provide the perfect backdrop to complete the picture.
One corner is reserved for Indian dresses. For sure, no one wears anything other than Punjabi suits, saris and embroidered kurta-pyjama in India! Buying a dress from one of these stores comes with an inherent risk. Garam masala would have permeated into the innermost pore of these dresses- you're sure to be a head-turner at the next party...unless of course... it is a sinister move on your part to ensure that your party host is hospitalised with a sudden bout of allergy.... driven by incessant sneezing!! You would have made a style statement... and a smelly one at that!

India has always been a land of the exotic, but this one unsettles the most seasoned Indian. Arranged on one of the shelves was this most innocuous bottle of oil ("tel") labelled "Narayan tail"! Our fertile imagination runs riot on the many possibilities. If a new breed of "vanaras" take over the Bay Area, we know which magic potion did the trick!!

Munna!...Aye Munna...!  If you actually need "Horlicks" or "Nutramul" for your milk, "Narayan tail" for your scalp and "armutanjan" for your headache.....you're suffering from severe home-sickness!! You'll never make it in the Bay Area. You bloody well (sorry for the expletive!) should be taking the next flight back to India!!

Continental breakfast

The term "continental breakfast" at these hotels always confuses me. Why would it be called "continental"? After all, one hopes that every breakfast is going to be served and eaten on some continent.... unless of course, you're adrift on a ship!! Are breakfasts on a ship called "oceanic breakfast" to keep the nomenclature uniform and consistent? Anyway, "oceanic breakfast" would mean a lot of sea-food and that wouldn't exactly be my cup of tea.

So, here I am... stuck with continental breakfast for the last one month- no crisp butter dosas, no steaming idlis floating in spicy sambar, no bread pakodas sumptuously doused in pudina chutney, no upma, no poha, no pongal, no kesari bath, no khara bath, not even chow-chow bath!

I should acknowledge that coming from India, I've grown up with a complex. I always feel  that I am going to be "short changed" by someone or the other. I fear that that foodie with his mountainous appetite will gobble up the entire breakfast and leave me high and dry when it's my turn.... or perhaps, the milk is in short supply and will run out... or may be, the donuts will all be eaten and leave me with some tasteless wheat bread.
The other issue that's I've grown up with is the necessity to plan for a rainy day.... leave alone Plan B, I need a Plan Z if all plans from A to Y fail! 
And yes, if anything is "free", I need it and I will grab it- I don't care that I am totally bald, if a shampoo comes for free, why not!?

It's essentially a problem of paucity of resources- it make us the fierce competitors that we are, in every field, including consuming continental breakfast! But America is a land of plenty where milk and honey flows- at least during continental breakfast time, but it's tough to mend quirks and oddities acquired over the years.

If there's just one pastry standing on the counter, the urge is simply irresistible- I don't mind reaching over someones shoulders, even it means.. brushing his ear ....and with one swoop of an elephant's trunk..snatch it and pocket it...just when the other candidate's fingers are inches away from the priced possession! There is a Mr Bean like impish delight in the act; a trifle impolite though it may surely be.

The milk cartons are neatly stacked in a glass case on the lower shelf. At times, I don't have a choice- especially when the cartons are few. I have to crouch, reach between someones legs who is also at the same counter, have him jump and squeal in absolute shock....and mumble, "Sorry! I was just trying to reach out for the milk cartons- I need one for breakfast, another for my afternoon coffee and one for the night. I don't get sleep without milk you see!"

When it comes to "cheerios", yes, I made a hash of it the other day. It's not exactly my fault. They are stored in cups and sealed with the most stubborn lid..which when it finally gave way.... exploded and scattered all over the breakfast floor.. in a torrential rain of tiny cereal! It's always prudent to make a quick getaway at these times- you don't want to suddenly be an object of singular attention and look absolutely silly and shamefaced!

The ketchup sachets are particularly frustrating. There's no easy way to rip them open. Others seem to have it so easy... possibly, their packets are less obstinate or may be they have sharper nails- which wouldn't be hygienic of course. In India, we use our teeth- we open even Coca Cola bottles that way. The only hazard with this approach... when it comes to the ketchup sachet... is the plastic bit which is now stuck in your mouth!
In India, with nonchalance, you simply spit it out... wherever you are. In the US, you need to be more discreet. Obviously, you can't swallow plastic- it is not bio-degradable. You can't dash out of the breakfast room either... that too with plastic in your mouth and a dash of ketchup across your cheek! The only recourse is to break into a sudden paroxysm of whooping cough...have your mouth well covered with your fist...and hope that the plastic bit also is also blown out...silently and unobtrusively!
Life is essentially..... simple!

Just when I was racked with remorse for some of my questionable acts, I was a tad relieved.  The caretaker brought this bunch of bananas and placed them in the fruit bowl. It was refreshing to find another enterprising candidate who seemed to borrow a leaf from my book. In a trice, he pinched it... the *entire* bunch.. and dashed out, much to the horror of the others around. I understand him.After all, continental breakfast is the only meal that the hotel provides.
What do they expect us to eat the rest of the day!?

Shri Ganapatini... Tyagaraja's invocatory song

This year's hand-crafted idol for Ganesh Chaturthi

Shri Ganapatini (set to Saurashtra raaga) is an introductory song with which Tyagaraja begins his musical opera Prahlaada Bhakti Vijayam. Of course, it is customary to begin any work with the blessings of Lord Ganesha. But we can see a few points related to this. Why should a work of art begin with an invocation to Ganesha? Is it only to ward of "vighnas" (problems) that Ganesha is propitiated or do we have other reasons?

Ganesha invoked as the Lord of FineArts:

Ganesha is known as a great exponent and lover of fine arts. Dikshitar describes Ganesha... in the famous Naattai kriti "maha ganapatim" as "mahaa kaavya naataka priyam"- one who loves kaavya i.e. poetry and naataka (drama).

There is another quotation that we can recall from Tulsidas's Ram Charit Maanas.

"Varnaanaam artha sanghaanaam rasaanaam chandasaam api
mangalaanaam cha kartaarau vande vaani vinaayakau"

Tulsidas says- I invoke the blessings of Vaani (Saraswati) and Vinaayaka (Ganesha) before starting this epic because their grace is needed for the work to come alive. He specifically  mentions the factors- varna (letter or word), artha-sangha (meaning), rasaa (the 9 rasas), chandas (metre). All these elements are woven together to make a composition a real work of art.
In keeping with the above tradition, Tyagaraja too invokes Lord Vinaayaka before starting his composition because Vinaayaka has the special portfolio of blessing art.

Ganesha invoked as the symbol of "mangala" (auspiciousness):

There is one more quotation we can look at.

"omkaarashcha atha shabdashcha dwaetau brahmanah puraa
kantham bhitwa viniryaatau tasmaad maangalikau ubhau"

It says- Lord Brahmaaji started the creation with the words "om" and "atha". Hence, both these words are "mangala" (auspicious). Most Vedantic works start with "om" or "atha". We can recall some common examples- "atha prathamo dhyaayah... Dhritarashtra uvaacha": when the Geeta is chanted, we begin with "atha". The Vishnu Sahasranama begins with "om vishvam vishnu.. etc."

Now, Ganesha is the visual representation of "omkaara" or "pranava". We saw this in the Giri raaja sutaa post discussion. Dikshitar says in the celebrated Vatapi Ganapatim kriti- "pranava swarupa vakratundam". Due to this reason too, it is customary to begin any work with the blessings of Lord Ganesha because he is the visual symbol of omkaara and hence "mangalakaari".

Since the above quotation mentions the necessity to start any work with a "mangala shabda", we can briefly focus on this and its relationship with Ganesha.
Parvati is mangalaa incarnate... essence of auspiciousness- "sarva mangalaa". Turmeric and kumkum are also "mangala padaartha" in our tradition. Parvati, herself an embodiment of auspiciousness, scraped turmeric and kumkum from her body, crafted it into a boy and breathed life into it. Thus, Ganesha was born. Hence, Ganesha is the epitome of auspiciousness. We have a shloka for this too:

"shrikaanto maatulo yasya janani sarva mangalaa
janaka shankaro deva tam vande kunjaraananam"

It says- We meditate upon Ganesha, the one with an elephant face (kunjaraananam)- whose maternal uncle is Lord Vishnu (Shrikaanta), whose Mother is Parvati (sarva mangalaa), whose father (janaka) is Lord Shiva (Shankara)

For this reason, it is customary to invoke Lord Ganesha in a lump of turmeric (asmin haridra bimbe maha ganapatim aavaahayaami) during any traditional puja.

Saurashtra and Ganesha:

Shri Ganapatini is set to Saurashtra raaga. It is amply clear from the name that this raaga is of geographical origin. What does Saurashtra immediately remind us of?

"Saurashtrey somanaatham.... shrishailey mallikaarjunam..." etc.

These are the 12 jyotirlingas in different parts of India.
In Saurashtra, Lord Shiva is known as "Somanatha". The story should be familiar to people. The moon (Soma) was cursed by Daksha Prajaapati because the Moon God was more partial to Rohini and neglected his other wives (who were Rohini's sisters). Daksha (father of all the women) cursed Soma and the moon started waning. Soma and Rohini went to Saurashtra and prayed to Lord Shiva. Shiva earned the name "Somanatha" because he blessed Soma, placed him on his head and allowed the moon to regain his brilliance.  "yam aashritohi vakropi chandrah sarvatra vandyatey" (even through the moon is crooked/crescent like- vakra api...still he gets praise (sarvatra vandyatey) because he is associated with Lord Shiva whom he propititated (aashritah)).

Hence, Saurashtra is closely associated with the moon.

Interestingly, the moon figures prominently in the stories of Lord Ganesha too. In fact, one of the 16 prominent names of Ganesha is "phaalachandra"- the one who wears the moon on this head. This story is again popular.
The moon was obsessed with his good looks and ridiculed Ganesha's appearance. Ganesha flew into rage and cursed the moon that whoever looks at the moon from now on will incur blame and suspicion in his life. Needless to say, the moon was treated as an outcast and completely neglected. He begged for forgiveness. Ganesha not only forgave the moon, but placed him on his head and became "phaalachandra".

We may also recall the elaborate story of "Syamantaka mani (gem)" involving the Moon, Ganesha and Lord Krishna. Thus, Saurashtra, the Moon and Lord Ganesha are all intimately connected.

It looks as if Tyagaraja wants to gently remind us of this context by composing this Ganesha kriti in Saurashtra raaga.
Interestingly, in the Giri Raaja Sutaa kriti that we looked at earlier, Ganesha himself is compared to the moon-Rajanikara by Tyagaraja.

Now that we have given the context for invoking Lord Ganesha, we can go on to the kriti Shri Ganapatini.....

Pallavi:

Shri ganapatini sevimpa raare shrita maanavulaara

shrita maanavulaara- O devotees, raare- come, sevimpa- let us worship, shri ganapatini- Lord Ganapati

We have already seen in the introduction why Lord Ganesha is invoked by Tyagaraja.

Anupallavi:

vaagadhipaadi supoojala chekoni  baaga natimpuchunu vedalina

vaagadhipa- Saraswati is vaagdevi. Adhipa is Lord. Hence, vaagadhipa is Lord of Sasraswati.... that is Lord Brahma.
supoojala chekoni-  Having accepted (chekoni) the worship (supoojala).....

Ganesha has accepted the worship of Lord Brahma and others (aadi). "Others" can refer to Devas and manushyas here. We can borrow from other keertanas and include sages like Vasishtha and Vaamadeva- (vasishtha vaamadevaadi vanditam... from Dikshitar's kriti "maha ganapatim"). Everyone worshipped Ganesha.

Now, Vaagadhipa is the same as "vaageesha". We have already seen a shloka related to Lord Brahma and the Devas worshipping Lord Ganesha in the context of "Giri Raaja sutaa tanaya" discussion. We can quote the same shloka here too:

"vaageeshaadyaa sumanasas sarvathaanaam upakramey
yam natva kritakrityaasyuh tam namaami gajaananam"

Just as Lord Brahmaa (vaageesha) and Devas (sumanasah) bow down (natva) at the beginning of any task (sarvathaanaam upakramey) for its successful completion (kritakrtiyasyuh), so too, I bow down (namaami) to Lord Ganesha (gajaananam).

Coming to the kriti, it says, having accepted the worship of Lord Brahma and others, Lord Ganesha is proceeding (vedalina) dancing (natimpuchunu) nicely (baaga).

Nartana vinaayaka:

So the picture in this kriti is "nartana vinaayaka"- dancing ganapati. Ganesha is always picturized in a happy mood with a child-like image. We can take some common examples-

"shuklaambaradharam vishnum shashi varnam chaturbhujam
prasanna vadanam dhyaayet sarva vighna upashaantaye"

Here, Ganesha is described as one with a "happy face": prasanna vadanam.

Adi Shankara's Ganesha Pancharatnam begins with "mudaakaraatta modakam". "Mudaa" is being happy. The first name in the list of 16 prominent names of Lord Ganesha is "Sumukha"- the one with a pleasant face. It is this  happiness which is reflected in the images of "nartana vinaayaka". Ganesha is also well known for his pranks which again reflects his humour and child-like behavior:

• He tricked Vibheeshana and ensured that the idol of Ranganatha (gifted to Vibheeshana by Lord Rama) remained at Srirangam.
• He humbled Ravana through deception and ensured that the Shivalinga remained at Gokarna.
• He played a prank with Sage Agastya and saw to it that the River Kaveri flowed out of the Sage's kamandalu.
• He hoodwinked even his brother Kartikeya and won the mango as a prize by just going around his parents.
• Ganesha even tricked Shani bhagvaan (Saturn) by telling him each day to visit him "tomorrow".

In keeping with Ganesha's playful character, images of nartana vinaayaka are found in many temples, including the famous Kapaaleeshwara Temple at Chennai.

Charanam:

panasa naarikelaadi  jambu phalamulu aaraginchi

The charanam begins with the list of fruits that Lord Ganesha has partaken (aaraginchi). These are offerings made by devotees like Lord Brahma, the Devas, Tyagaraja and even people like us.

panasa - jackfruit.
naarikela- coconut
jambu - "jaamun"

Of these, coconut is a special offering to Lord Ganesha. A coconut has "3 eyes" and as per one story stands for Lord Shiva's head (since Shiva is trinetra dhaari- with 3 eyes). As per this story, Ganesha wanted the dearest thing from his father (Lord Shiva) offered to him- which was Shiva's own head! As a token, a coconut is used to symbolize the fact that even Lord Shiva bowed down to Ganesha!

As far as the fruit jambu is concerned, we have the following popular shloka which mentions it:

gajaananam bhuuta ganaadi sevitam kapitha jambuphala saara bhakshitam
uma sutam shoka vinaasha kaaranam namaami vighneshwara paada pankajam

Jambuphala reminds us of Jambukeshwaram kshetra, near Trichy, TamilNadu, and its association with Lord Ganesha. Goddess Parvati was in an "ugra roopa" form at the temple. Adi Shankara converted the idol to a benign form by installing the idol of Lord Ganesha opposite the sannidhi of Goddess Parvati. On seeing her favourite son with an ever pleasant face, Parvati's anger was calmed.

Auvaiyaar, the Tamil saint, was a great devotee of Lord Ganesha. Hence, when Lord Kartikeya appeared before her, he came up with a riddle centered on the the "jaamun" fruit. This story is well known in Tamil Nadu.

Thus, jaamun fruit is intimately connected with Lord Ganesha which Tyagaraja also mentions here.

ghana tarambuganu mahipai padamulu ghallu ghallana unchi
In this line, Tyagaraja uses onamatopoea to describe Ganesha's dance. Ganesha's feet (padamulu) strike (unchi) the earth (mahipai) with all the weight (ghana tarambuganu) of his portly frame! The ground reverberates with the sounds of "ghallu ghallana"!

anayamu hari charana yugamulanu hrdaya ambujamunana unchi

Here, Tyagaraja says that Lord Vishnu is seated in Ganesha's heart. Hari charana yugamulanu - Lord Hari's feet are seated (unchi) in Ganesha's hrdaya ambuja- lotus like heart....all the time (anayamu). We can spend some time on this expression.

In a simple way, we can understand that Lord Vishnu is very dear to Ganesha and hence he holds Vishnu close to his heart. We can bring in a story here:

Lord Vishnu is Ganesha's maternal uncle. We saw the quotation earlier starting with "shrikaanto maatulo yasya". Once, Lord Vishnu came to see Ganesha. Ganesha, in a playful mood, seized Vishnu's discus (chakra) and put it in his mouth. Regardless of Lord Vishnu's entreaties, he would not give back the discus! Finally, Lord Vishnu had little choice but to hold his ears with his hands clasped across his chest and do some sit-ups- "torpi karnam"! Ganesha found it so funny that he burst out laughing and the discus fell out of his mouth. Promptly, Lord Vishnu took possession of his discus!

Philosophically, a devotee understands his own "ishta devata" as the Ultimate Reality who lends existence and consciousness to everything and everyone. For a Rama bhakta, Rama is the "paramatma" who is the "spirit" behind the entire creation- all life forms and even other aspects of Gods. For a Shiva bhakta, Shiva is the "paramatma" who is the "spirit" behind everything- including other Gods... and so on. Ultimately, the Lord is one... but the devotee likes to identify that formless principle with his own chosen form. In keeping with this idea, Tyagaraja chooses to bring "Hari" as blessing even Lord Ganesha.

If we take Adi Shankara's Ganesha Pancharatnam, he says "hrdantarey nirantaram vasantameva yoginaam". Since Shankara identifies Lord Ganesha as the ultimate principle in his poem, he says that Lord Ganesha alone enlivens the heart of all people.

We can use the quotation from the Geeta too:

"ishwarah sarva bhutanaam hrdeshe arjuna tishthati
bhraamayan sarva bhutaani yantraarudhaani maayayaa"

The Lord in the heart enlivens all beings....


Vinaya and Vinaayaka:

vinayamunanu tyaagaraaja vinutudu

Let us humbly (vinayamunanu) worship Vinaayaka who has been praised (vinutudu) by Tyagaraja. The primary qualification of the devotee mentioned here is "vinaya"- humility. There are a couple of reasons:

Firstly, vinaya and vinaayaka are close in sound. Hence, Tyagaraja may have wanted to use this trait as an "upalakshanam" for all values that a devotee needs to have.
Secondly, vinaya is the same as "amaanitvam". The Geeta has a list of 20 values that every person should have in Chapter 13. This list begins with "amaanitvam" or "vinaya" or humility.

amaanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa kshaanti aarjavam
aachaaryopaasanam saucham sthairyam aatma vinigrahah

For completeness, the Geeta says in this verse: Adambhitvam is unpretensiousness, ahimsa is non-violence, kshaanti is accommodation or patience, aarjavam is straightforwardness, aachaaryopaasanam is service to the teacher, saucham is cleanliness, sthairyam is steadfastness of purpose, aatma vinigrahah is mastery over the body/mind/sense-organ complex.

If we take Adi Shankara's "shatpadi stotra" on Lord Vishnu, he again begins the stotra with the need for "vinaya". "Avinayam apanaya vishno" etc. O Vishnu, remove my pride (avinayam).
From this, it is clear that "vinaya" is one of the most important values that a spiritual student should have.
For these reasons, Tyagaraja has mentioned this value specifically. We have to include all the above values from the Geeta, Chapter 13 as well.

There is one more interesting point that Paramacharya brings in one of his brilliant discourses. Vinaayaka himself is an epitome of vinaya. When we are in the presence of someone who commands respect, we show our humility by covering our mouth with our hand when we speak. This is an Indian body-language which may not be applicable to others. For an elephant, the trunk is like its hand. Hence, Ganesha is called "ainkaran" in Tamil ("One with 5 hands", the trunk being his fifth hand). For an elephant and Vinaayaka, the mouth is always covered by the trunk, its fifth hand. In effect, Vinaayaka himself is a symbol of humility, Vinaya! Thus, vinaya is particularly applicable to Vinaayaka which Tyagaraja refers to in this kriti.
The final line is:

vividha gatula dhittalaangumani vedalina

The kriti ends with a description of Lord Ganesha's nartana. Vividha gatula- With varied beat or rhythm- rhythm set to different taalas. Ganesha dances with ever changing pace and beat.
"Dhittalaangu" is a word that a "nattuvaangist" (e.g. in Bharatanaatyam) uses to vocalize the dancer's steps. It is again an onamatopoeic expression which conveys the sound of the feet striking the ground with the jingle of anklets!

The kriti is now complete!