MAJOR DEITY OF HINDU CULTURE

GANESHA

The bestower of good luck, peace, success, prosperity and remover of all hurdles, Ganesha is perhaps the most popular of all gods in the Hindu pantheon. Figurines and statuettes of Ganesha in a playful mood are quite common in people’s homes that are kept along with the more traditional posture of the seated Ganesha staring ahead with a benign expression. Mythologies, religious texts and legends abound with Lord Ganesha’s charismatic and cheerful personality. Before undertaking any project or beginning any new task, big or small, Hindus seek the blessings of Ganesha to achieve success in their endeavours.

Birth of Ganesha

Once,the gods got together to discuss a common problem: the demons caused problems and difficulties whenever they performed holy rituals and acts. After considerable brainstorming, they came upon a solution: a superior god who would defeat and control the demons and ensure an environment of peace in heaven. The deities approached Lord Shiva, requesting him to create a celestial power against all evils.

The divine union of Lord Shiva and Parvati created a child who was elephant-headed: the controller of all obstacles was born and was named Vighaneshwara –  “Vighan” means obstacles – or the “One who Removes all Obstacles”. This story can be found in the Linga Purana.

The Shiva Purana gives another version of Ganesha’s birth. Once, Parvati went to a large water pool to bathe. To ensure her privacy, she asked Nandi, the chief of ganas (Shiva’s attendants), to stand guard at the gate of the pool and not let anyone enter the area. A little later, Lord Shiva himself came along and was about to enter the pool area when Nandi, as instructed by Parvati, stopped Shiva. Extremely annoyed at Nandi’s behaviour, Shiva ignored him and continued walking and, needless to say, Parvati was not pleased to see Shiva the in the pool area.

Soon after, on an impulse, Parvati rubbed some dust off her body and created a male child, a young, handsome boy. She breathed life into his body, and blessed him with all her powers, and instructed him to obet only her orders. She asked him to stand outside the pool gate and not let anyone enter the area.

After some time, Shiva came along and walked towards the pool entrance. At the gate he saw a handsome young boy, who immediately stood in his way, and advised him not to enter the pool precincts. Angered by the attitude of this unknown boy, Shiva severed the child’s head from his body.

When shouts and cries of anguish reached Parvati’s ears, she came out and seeing her son lying dead on the ground, started crying. She told Shiva about the creation of her son.

Shiva repented his act of anger and consoled Parvati, assuring her that he would get the child back to life. He instantly sent for his ganas and instructed them to set forth and return with the head of the first living being they come across. The team trooped out and the first animal they came across was a baby elephant; the ganas cut his head and presented it to Lord Shiva. He then fixed the head to the child’s body and invoked life in him. The boy immediately came back to life and resumed all powers that his mother had bestowed on him, and he became an elephant-headed god. Ganesha is also known as Gajanan.