Ganesha is one of the most revered gods of the Hindu tradition, represented by the head of an elephant with a human body, it is the expression of wisdom and to which tribute is paid annually.
One of the main gods is Ganesha or Ganesh Chaturthi, the god of wisdom, intelligence and who is worshiped in the name of good beginnings and overcoming obstacles. He is represented as an elephant-headed being with a human body and so important that he has his own annual celebration of him. For ten days, Hindus gather to pay tribute to the elephant god and place images of him in public spaces, temples and homes.
Credits: thejasp
Who is Ganesha?
The cornerstone of the Hindu pantheon is represented by the holy trinity (Trimurti) composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. And it is precisely from this last god that Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati, emerges. His name means ‘lord of the Ganas’ who are a group of semi-divine beings who form the retinue of his father Shiva.
Ganesha is seen with a wide variety of divine gifts and is therefore known by different names. He has also been given the title of Ganapati (sovereign of the Ganas), Vighnesa (lord who removes obstacles) and Vināyaka (lord who removes).
There are different versions of the birth of Ganesha, however, it is the narratives of the ancient Puranas texts that explain in greater detail the emergence of the Hindu god of wisdom.
According to the Puranas, Ganesha’s head was cut off by his father shortly after his birth. Her mother, Parvati, was heartbroken at the act of Shiva, who promised to replace the head of her descendant with that of the first being that crossed in front of her. There are other versions of the story that say that Shiva took the head of the first living being that was not in his mother’s lap, however, the first version is the most accepted.
What is the god Ganesha like?
The greatest peculiarity of the god Ganesha is precisely his elephant head, but he has other characteristics that give him his appearance. He possesses the body of a burly man with a large belly and two pairs of arms, each of which holds an attribute.
He appears holding a rope that leads his devotees to the spiritual path, an ax to free his faithful, a laddu which is a sweet made with chickpea flour to reward the faith of his believers and a rosary.
Other representations include another variety of objects that Ganesha carries in his four hands. He has been seen with a piece of a broken tusk that is said to have been used to write the Mahabharata, one of the most important epics of India. And he is also sometimes represented with an extended hand in the form of abhaya mudra, as a blessing.
The celebration of Ganesha Chaturthi
Every year Hindus gather for one of the most important annual celebrations, Ganesha Chaturthi. It is celebrated for 10 days in India and other countries such as Nepal, Spain, and the United States. The festival involves the placement of clay representations of the elephant god which are placed in public spaces and temporary temples called mandapas.
Credits: EFE
During the 10 days, traditional cultural activities such as theatrical performances, choral and orchestral concerts with Hindu instruments are carried out. At the end of the celebration, the Ganesha Visarjan is performed, in which the images are carried in a procession with songs and dances, to an important fountain, lake or pond to then perform a sacred immersion ceremony where the clay representations dissolve into Water. Thus they say goodbye to Ganesha who takes the bad fortunes with him until the next festival.