| A few years back I at long last met the person I | | | | dangerous if provoked, but caring when shown |
| had known for quite some time, but merely on | | | | kindness. Unlike most elephants, Ganesh has just |
| the internet. I noticed that the woman always | | | | one tusk. |
| wore the same necklace and charm, a strange | | | | There are numerous stories of the reason for the |
| figure with an elephant's head. I was curious why | | | | broken tusk; the most common is that Ganesh |
| such a classy lady was so enamored with what | | | | was handed the job of writing down the epic tale |
| appeared to be a lighthearted plastic figure. When | | | | known as the Mahabharata. At some point his pen |
| I worked up the courage to ask the woman | | | | failed and rather then stopping, Ganesh detached |
| about this, I was ashamed of my lack of | | | | his tusk and continued, showing he was prepared |
| knowledge. It was the first time I'd been aware | | | | to make a sacrifice to obtain knowledge. Some |
| of the Hindu God Ganesh. | | | | other, less poetic testimonies state that the tusk |
| To a western eye, Ganesh looks very odd; a | | | | was taken by a villain who stole it to create ivory |
| nearly comical figure that has a male's physique | | | | earrings for lovely women. |
| (and a bit of a paunch) an elephant's head, four | | | | It is not always instantly evident that a Ganesh |
| arms (at least), just one tusk, and spends his | | | | statues has 4 (and sometimes more) arms. Some |
| time riding around on a tiny mouse. But Ganesh is | | | | may be shown in abhaya pose that's held up with |
| absolutely not a clown and to see him as being a | | | | palm out and fingers pointing upwards, while the |
| joke would be to misunderstand decades of belief | | | | second holds a sweet, a symbol of the inner self. |
| and symbolism. He's viewed with reverence in the | | | | The other two hands will most likely contain a |
| Hindu faith, where the very same attributes, | | | | goad and a noose, the former used to prod |
| viewed in a different way, make him the | | | | followers along the way of truth, as the latter |
| embodiment of wisdom and learning, the patron | | | | signifies the snare of earthly desires. At his feet |
| of scientific discipline as well as the arts, the | | | | most statues of Ganesh show a mouse, his |
| remover of obstacles, and hence summoned at | | | | standard steed. The mouse is the symbolic |
| the start of each and every venture as the god | | | | representation of the intellect, roaming in and out, |
| of success. It turned out as such that this | | | | but tamed through the greater power of the |
| individual wore her Ganesh charm, not really | | | | whole. |
| plastic but very old jade, a talisman meant to | | | | Numerous devotees believe that the odd shape |
| bring a favorable outcome to each of her | | | | of the one tusked elephant headed God mirrors |
| undertakings. Like many other Hindu statues and | | | | the symbol AUM, a symbol that symbolizes the |
| talismans, a Ganesha statues represents specific | | | | primeval sound that was the very first thing to |
| aspirations of a productive life. | | | | be created and from which the remainder of the |
| The Hindu religion is quite old and practiced over a | | | | universe came about. This is the symbol that is |
| broad area, so it isn't really astonishing there are | | | | commonly used to symbolize all of Hinduism and |
| quite a few stories about the source of the Hindu | | | | its values. |
| gods. Generally in most Hindu traditions, Ganesh is | | | | Although the Hindu religion has four primary sects, |
| the child of Shiva and his wife Parvati. Hindu's | | | | all worship Ganesh, in whose image can be found |
| acknowledge 4 major sects all of whom value | | | | across India, Nepal and many areas of the Far |
| Parvati and Shiva as significant, but for the | | | | East. For Buddhists Ganesh appears as the god |
| Shakta, Parvati, whose name implies 'she of the | | | | Vinayaka and is commonly displayed dancing. His |
| mountains' is the Supreme Being and Shiva is her | | | | statues appear in Nepal and Tibet. In Japan he is |
| consort. Legend says it was Parvati who created | | | | viewed as a minor god and young people call on |
| Ganesh. | | | | him when searching for success in love. |
| Parvati is said to value her seclusion, so one day | | | | Throughout Malaysia, Java, Bali and Borneo you |
| when she wanted to wash and had no-one | | | | will find temples to Ganesh and in Thailand. There |
| nearby to help keep watch for her, Parvati used | | | | his position as remover of obstacles and patron |
| turmeric paste to produce a boy. The goddess | | | | of the arts mean that there is a ceremony |
| afforded him life and asked him to protect her | | | | where offerings are made to Ganesh prior to any |
| privacy, and this is how Ganesh was created, with | | | | movie or TV series starts shooting. |
| no real intervention from his 'father' Shiva. | | | | Indonesia is a Muslim country, however even |
| When Shiva returned home he sought to go | | | | there Ganesh is revered and his image can be |
| inside, yet Ganesh followed his Mother's | | | | found in many Cambodian temples. Yet despite |
| instructions and stopped him. There was a battle, | | | | spreading across the Eastern world Ganesh was |
| and Shiva, who is Lord of Destruction, cut off the | | | | not known in Europe until relatively recently, |
| child's head. | | | | though some scholars, commenting on a sculpture |
| When she saw what had happened, Parvati's rage | | | | of Ganesh where he's shown with two heads |
| knew no bounds. She demanded that Shiva fix | | | | (one of an elephant one of a man) facing in |
| the matter, so he directed his servants to bring | | | | opposite directions have likened the image to that |
| back the head of the first living thing they found. | | | | of Janus, the two headed God of the Romans, |
| The head belonged to an aged elephant they had | | | | but no actual link between the two have been |
| discovered just as he was going to perish, so | | | | identified. |
| Ganesh was brought back to life and given the | | | | No matter what your own take on the gods |
| elephant's head. | | | | from the east or of the ancients, their statues |
| By association Ganesh is regarded as formidable, | | | | and associated symbolism will always be thought |
| tender and loyal. Such a massive head can only be | | | | provoking. However we look at something, other |
| a signal of knowledge and cleverness, while the | | | | civilizations often saw it very differently; one |
| huge ears are employed to meticulously distinguish | | | | reason museum quality statues along with other |
| the good and the bad and to hear the requests | | | | artifacts make fascinating and artistic |
| of supplicants. Just like the elephant Ganesh is | | | | conversation pieces for any home. |