These posts are getting a bit more sporadic for a few reasons: work has picked up and I'm now on a project conducting a high-level review of three Microfinance company's investment potential for a large international investment group. Social investing may have as much of a focus on social returns as on financial, but the work that needs to be done to vet the investment seem to be just as arduous as that done for "normal" investments. I've also been traveling a bit. I went to Mumbai and Sri Lanka and hope to write up those trips eventually. I've also realized that blogging is really for those who have either a lot of time or a lot of dedication or both.

That aside, there is something worth mentioning going on in Hyderabad (and the rest of India) the festival celebrating the God Ganesh. If, like most Westerners, you know that Ganesh is the God with the elephant head, well done. If you happen to know that he is the son of another god who had his head chopped off and then replaced by that of an Elephant because this was the closest animal and that he is very fond of food, then you are likely Indian or have an atypical interest in Hindu mythology. Over the past few days I have asked my colleagues and friends about Ganesh and started heated debates between people who have been told different stories about his origins by their grandmothers. On one level it is great that this oral tradition is getting passed down, but on another (as many of my friends pointed out to each other) these oral histories are not being passed down complete and they are not sure they will be able to share the stories with their kids and grandkids as well as the previous generation.

Nevertheless, the festival is very much alive. As far as I can tell the festival involves almost everyone buying garishly colored, clay Ganesh statues from all over the city and placing them in their houses or at work for the duration of the festival. The most amazing ones are made by entire streets who must have banded together to buy a large (6 to 8 feet usually) statue which is then decorated with all colors of Christmas tree lights (sorry, I couldn't think of a non-denominational name for them). The neighborhood gathers around these statues at night and burns incense, plays music, and offers the statue food. Two night ago I was taken to the largest Ganesh statue in Hyderabad (and, as a result, the entire state of Andhra Pradesh). There is definitely some serious competition and keeping up with the Jones' (here maybe it should be Gandhi's???). Anyway, the road leading to the two-plus story statue was lined with vendors selling plastic Ganesh masks, sweet corn, ice cream, trinkets, balloons, and all other kinds of carnival items. The statue itself is surrounded by people and other statues. Religious Hindi music is blasted from what seems to be a neighborhood-wide PA systems and little kids swarm around our legs (I went with another 6 foot-plus white American guy) pulling on our hands and arms asking us for change.

Here are some pictures which should give you a good sense of what we saw.