0:00 The air in the city of Jaipur smells of marigolds and hot, sweet chai tea.0:06 It’s a city buzzing with a special kind of magic.0:10 A different kind than the green, misty magic of the mischievous leprechauns we chased through Ireland, but a magic you can taste and feel all the same.0:23 Come with me, into the Johari Bazaar.0:27 Can you hear it?0:28 The dinging bells of bicycle rickshaws, the chatter of a hundred conversations at once, the sizzle of food cooking on open stalls.0:39 The sunlight streams down, catching the glitter on a thousand flowing scarves and making the pink walls of the city glow.0:50 Let’s get a snack.0:51 A fresh samosa!0:53 It’s a warm, triangle-shaped pocket of dough, crispy on the outside and filled with soft, spiced potatoes and peas.1:03 Be careful, it’s hot!1:04 Delicious, right?1:06 Now, look over there.1:08 By the stall piled high with shimmering glass bangles in every color of the rainbow, an old woman with kind, crinkly eyes is telling a story.1:20 Everyone calls her Dadi, which means grandmother.1:24 Let's go listen.1:26 She sees us coming and pats the spot next to her on the rug.1:31 “I will tell you,” she says, her voice like rustling silk, “about the cleverest and kindest god of all.1:40 I will tell you about Ganesha.” Long, long ago, the goddess Parvati was getting ready for her bath.1:48 She wanted someone to guard her door, someone loyal and strong.1:54 So, she took the turmeric paste she used for her skin, and from it, she molded a handsome young boy.2:03 She breathed life into him, and told him, “You are my son.2:08 Let no one enter.” The boy stood guard, proud and determined.2:13 Soon, Parvati’s husband, the great god Shiva, came home.2:18 He had been away for a very long time.2:21 When he tried to enter his own home, the boy blocked his path.2:26 “No one may enter,” the boy said firmly.2:30 Shiva, not knowing this was Parvati’s creation, grew angry.2:35 “I am the master of this house!” he boomed.2:39 But the boy would not move.2:41 A terrible fight began.2:43 And in his fury, Shiva… he cut off the boy’s head.2:47 When Parvati came out and saw what had happened, her heart broke into a million pieces.2:55 Her cries of sorrow shook the mountains.2:59 When Shiva understood what he had done—that he had destroyed Parvati’s son—he was filled with regret.3:07 “I will make it right,” he promised.3:10 He sent his followers out with an order: bring back the head of the very first living creature you find sleeping with its head facing north.3:23 The first creature they found was a wise and powerful elephant.3:28 They brought its head back to Shiva.3:31 With his divine power, Shiva placed the elephant’s head onto the boy’s body and brought him back to life.3:40 Parvati’s joy was immense.3:43 Shiva embraced the boy and named him Ganesha, making him the leader of all his followers.3:50 He declared that from that day forward, before anyone started anything new—a journey, a book, a business—they must first honor Ganesha.4:02 Because he is the Remover of Obstacles.4:05 The Dadi smiles at us, her story finished.4:09 The sun is setting now, turning the pink city to gold.4:14 The air is cooling, and the scent of jasmine flowers begins to drift from the temples.4:21 Before we go, we buy a jalebi—a bright orange, spiral-shaped sweet, soaked in sugary syrup.4:29 It’s sticky and crunchy and tastes like sunshine.4:33 As you eat, you can still feel the warmth of the story in your heart.4:39 Because in India, you quickly learn that even the biggest obstacle can be the start of a whole new, wonderful story.
