Ganesha , also known as Ganapati, is a popular Hindu god. His name is also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh. He is portrayed as having the head of an elephant, complete with a trunk and large ears. Ganesha’s image also typically shows a plump human body, one of his tusks broken, and four arms. He often is shown with a mouse or rat as his animal mount.
Ganesha is considered to be the Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles. Before starting a new project, worshipers of Ganesha often call on him to bring success. The entrances to most Hindu temples, houses, and shops have an image of Ganesha nearby. Each year during Diwali, a Hindu New Year festival, worshipers buy images of Ganesha and Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, to put in their homes or give as gifts.
Ganesha is the son of the god Shiva and his wife, the goddess Parvati. According to the Shiva Purana, an ancient Indian literary work, Parvati created Ganesha while Shiva was away. Parvati asked Ganesha to protect her modesty while she bathed. Shiva then returned and approached Parvati’s bathing spot. Not recognizing Shiva as his father, Ganesha prevented Shiva from reaching Parvati. Shiva responded by cutting off the head of Ganesha, whom he did not know was his son. When Parvati demanded the restoration of her son, Shiva ordered his attendants to replace Ganesha’s head with the head of the first being they found in the forest. Finding an elephant, they restored Ganesha to life with the animal’s head. Some devotees say that Ganesha’s large ears symbolize his ability to hear their prayers.
Ganesha is especially popular in Maharashtra, a state on India’s west coast that includes the city of Mumbai. Ganesa Chaturthi, a festival of several days that celebrates Ganesha’s birthday, has become a powerful public expression of Hinduism. It includes processions, displays of images of Ganesha, and special rituals of worship for each day. The festival is also popular outside of Maharashtra.
