BANGALORE: Ganesha or Ganapathi, the elephant-deity riding a mouse, is closely related to that anything associated with the Hindu culture. That itself denotes the importance of Ganesha, but also shows how popular this elephant-headed God is in the minds of the masses. Moreover, the God is considered to be one of the five prime Hindu deities. Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara and Durga are the other four.
Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, has an elephant appearance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge bellied body of a human being. Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, Vigneshwara, and more generally as the Lord of beginnings. He is a patron of arts and sciences, and the God of intellect and wisdom.
The name Ganesha is a Sanskrit compound, joining the words ‘Gana,’ meaning a group, multitude or categorical system and ‘Isha,’ meaning Lord or Master. The word Gana when associated with Ganesha is often taken to refer to the Ganas, a troop of semi-divine beings that form part of the team of Shiva. Vinayaka is another common name for Ganesha that appears in the Purana and in Buddhist Tantras.
This name is reflected in the naming of the eight famous Ganesha temples in Maharashtra known as the Ashtavinayaks.
Ganesha’s head symbolises the aatma or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha’s left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.
The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.
The body structure of Ganesha has inspired artists altogether and he is a popular figure in Indian art. Unlike those of some deities, representations of Ganesha show wide variations and distinct patterns changing over time. He may be portrayed standing, dancing, heroically taking action against demons, playing with his family as a boy, sitting down or on an elevated seat, or engaging in a range of contemporary situations.
Ganesha is worshiped in many religious and secular occasions, especially at the beginning of ventures such as buying a vehicle or starting a business. Ganesha is worshipped by almost all castes and in all parts of the country. Devotees believe that if Ganesha is worshipped, he grants success, prosperity and protection against adversity.
Devotees offer Ganesha sweets such as modakas and laddos. He is often shown carrying a bowl of those sweets and so is called Modakapriya. Because of his identification with the colour red, he is often worshiped with red sandalwood paste or red flowers. Doorva and other materials are also used in his worship. The festival associated with Ganesh is Ganesh Chaturthi, which starts from fourth day in the month of Bhadrapada and culminates on the day of Anant Chatiurdashi