Post by Priya Raman

In my family, when nobody can decide, we do chits. Write each choice on a slip of paper, fold them the same way, place them before Ganesha with a flower, say a prayer, and let the youngest child in the room pick one.

This weekend it was my sister's question: rent the flat near work, or the one near Amma. Two chits, one jasmine strand, a little ghee lamp, and my four-year-old nephew, who took this responsibility extremely seriously and picked one with both hands.

Near Amma. My sister pretended to be neutral, but she was smiling before she even unfolded it. Ganesha removes obstacles, including the obstacle of pretending you haven't already decided.