Seeing Ganesh Through a New Lens: A Reflection for Parents of Neurodivergent Children
Sep 11, 2025
Family Advisor
As you all know, in the life of a parent to a neurodivergent child, the journey is never a straight line. I was busy navigating my son’s changing behaviours, and it reminded me once again that no matter how much I think I understand him, there will always be more to learn and more to uncover about who he truly is.
While my quest to understand him continues, I wanted to share an interesting story…
Last week, I attended a workshop on deafblindness where an ophthalmologist mentioned the book The Immortals of Meluha. It’s a mytho-fantasy series that reimagines Indian mythology in a very human way. Shiva is not shown as a god from the beginning, but as a simple tribal leader whose choices and values slowly make him the Mahadev. That thought stayed with me, and I was quite curious to read more about it.
Since Ganpati vibes are everywhere right now, I couldn’t help but reflect on how this book portrayed Ganesh. Unlike the traditional story we grew up hearing about his head being replaced with that of an elephant, here Ganesh is portrayed as a child born with differences. He was seen as unlucky, unworthy, even someone to be hidden. Society focused only on what made him “different.” But he wasn’t broken… he was whole, strong, and resilient in ways others couldn’t yet see.
Then came flashes of Ganesh… not just the idol we worship, but the Ganesh from serials and stories, where Rakshas and others mocked his appearance, laughed at him, and tried to put him down. Yet he never stooped to their level. He always rose above with strength and cleverness, proving his worth through his actions.
As parents, don’t we face the same? Our children are often judged for their meltdowns, delays, or behaviours. But just like Ganesh, their uniqueness is not a flaw—it’s a gift waiting to be seen and celebrated. And as their parents, just as Sati held Ganesh close in the book, we too hold our children with love and pride, showing the world that they are more than enough.
Today, I realised I had idolised Ganpati all my life… but now, I love him all the more, because I see a reflection of our children in him—misunderstood by the world, yet carrying extraordinary strength inside.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone!