About Ganesha Hindu God

"Ganesha, the son of the Hindu deities Siva and Durga (or Siva and Parvati, depending on the region of India) is a god of luck and of "opening the way" to success and wealth. Portly and generally jolly, he is distinguied from other Hindu deities because he has the head of an elephant on a human body. His image, the pink elephant appears on numerous Hindu products, such as incense and foods.

Ganesha bears the swastika symbol in the palm of his hand (the sign of "good luck"). He also carries an elephant goad as his weapon to move stubborn people out of his way, but he is not always shown bearing it. He also carries a conch shell, holds a book, or receives offerings of sweet foods.

His broken tusk is a reference to a tale set in his childhood, when his father accidentally hit him too hard. His vehicle is a rat, who may be shown stealing one of the food offerings placed at his feet.

Despite travelling by such a small mode of transport, Ganesha's image and influence has been felt throughout Asia throughout the centuries. Ganesha can be found as far a field as Afghanistan, Thailand and Cambodia, and even Japan. Now as both the Indian diaspora and the influence of Indian philosophy and religion spreads about the globe, you'll find his image everywhere from blackpool hotels and Vancouver cafes to homes in Melbourne, Moscow and Montreal. Travel is one of his strengths.

Ganesha can be represented reclining hedonistically, as befits a bringer of good luck, wealth, fine foods, and luxury. He also may be seen seated on a throne or in the form of an infant, especially as Siva and Parvati's beloved son. However, as the son of Siva, who is sometimes called Nataraja ("Lord of the Dance"), Ganesha sometimes assumes the same dancing pose taken by his father when Siva dances to destroy the world. In this form, Ganesha is an opener of the way and remover of all obstacles.

Another common depiction of Ganesha is in tandem with Laksmi, the goddess of wealth, or as part of a trio with Laksmi and Sarasvati, the goddess of music. This latter grouping arises from a tale of the goddess Durga, in which she is said to be the mother of all three of these fortune-bringing deities. Finally, in depictions of Siva and Parvati as "the happy couple," Ganesha may be accompanied by his many-headed brother Kartikeya, also known as Skanda.