Shivji Bihane Chale (Lord Shiva Gets Married)

I happened to chance upon this utterly charming song in my childhood, ‘Shivji Bihane Chale’ (Lord Shiva gets married). Everybody so seems to be enjoying themselves in this delightfully picturised song. But alas where do we have such songs in the Hindi movies of today.



Lord Shiva, the wild one with demons, ghosts and spirits for company in his high mountain lair in the Himalayas, the one with the cobra wrapped around his neck, the one with the wild rages, not averse to intoxicants and mild drugs and dancing the spirited tandav (the divine dance), signifying the destructive nature in the Hindu trinity (creator, preserver, destroyer: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh (Shiva)). The one who in an inadvertent rage, cut of the head of his son, Ganesh.

Elsewhere god may have created man in his own image. But here we prefer to have man creating god in his own image. And that’s why maybe our gods have been so much an indivisible part of our lives. Gods who laugh and cry, dance and sing, have a drink or two (soma), stray occasionally. Utterly charming and lovable gods, not aloof from the business of existence. A bit of Bollywood, really.

Oh Yes, and we don’t mind making fun of our Gods, not even the wrathful ones. Its all part of the game.