J. Willis, Dancing Ganesha

sketchfab

Ganesha stands as the Hindu god believed to guide worshipers who embark on something new, whether it's launching a business, getting married, embarking on a journey, or seeking to break down barriers hindering ongoing efforts. Ganesha’s mother is the goddess Pavarti, who is in a relationship with the god Shiva. While there are multiple stories about Ganesha's origin, the most widely accepted one tells that Pavarti created Ganesha to protect her while she bathed. However, when Shiva later sought to enter the bath, unaware of Ganesha’s presence, Ganesha refused him entry. Enraged, Shiva beheaded Ganesha. Witnessing this unfortunate mistake, Pavarti intervened and had Shiva replace Ganesha's head with that of an elephant he encountered first, while the rest of his body was a young child. Every year in August and September, a festival is held to honor Ganesha, during which clay statues are created and decorated, only to be later submerged in water. According to E. Osborn Martin (1914), the name "Ganesha" is derived from "Gana-Isa," meaning the Lord of the Ganas – those lesser deities who serve Shiva.