A cute, chubby, pot bellied little Ganapati was gifted to me by an aunt, who was crazy about astrology and displayed a special contempt and disregard for my ruling stars. A girl who attracts a plethora of obstacles in almost all her ventures, she thought of me to be, and hence gave me a small baby God, who would sort out my troubles and handle my warring constellations.
The little image was initially an object of curiosity for all my friends, as I showed it off as a prized booty, which my not so (un)fortunate friends with not so thoughtful aunts, didn’t have.
Gradually due to years of companionship, the little Ganapati and I developed a bond of sorts.
Perched on the rack, this dusty little god with the head of a pachyderm would look at me with innocent doe like eyes filled with love and I would smile back.
I never believed this minimal, little cutie was capable of doing something mystical in my life. But his presence mattered and as I grew up, he became my hero.
The more I knew him, the more I loved him. This fat, oddly formed, zoomorphic figure became my revered deity not because he ever helped me out with my chores, but simply by virtue of being himself.
Dynamic Ganesha
From a rustic tribal God, worshipped under village trees to his exalted position as Siddhivinayak, and from a non-Aryan, non-descript divinity to the global Ganesha, the rise of Ganapati has been amazing and bewildering.
In a religious mélange of 33 crores Gods and Goddesses, with each one having a pre-assigned role, Ganesha had every reason to be lost in the plethora. But then he is filled with surprises.
Where Brahma managed creation; Vishnu looked after preservation and Shiva dealt with destruction, Ganesha, the son of Parvati and Shiva (made from his mother’s body dirt!), must have had a difficult time making his presence felt. But he survived all onslaughts on the basis of his wisdom and courage.
Early representations of Ganesha show his extremely humble origins. An elephant-headed warrior with the beard of a sage, a sword and snake in one hand and a quill in the other, with a trident to one side is amongst his early images.
In the Deccan, Ganesha was pictured with a sheaf of corn and sugarcane, with a mouse as his vehicle- probably as a harvest god.
Ganesha emerged as a distinct deity in the Gupta Period. He soon surpassed his brother Skanda, who initially had a huge following in South India, and was included in the august list of Panch Devata. In fact in the Ninth Century AD his followers formed a sect called Ganpatya, which churned out some invaluable literature on him.
Ganesha is perhaps the most dynamic among Gods and also open to all possibilities of change and adaptation. He can be seen doing all sorts or chores, in all positions and in every form. Choosing adaptability as a way of life, he kept on updating his image. Hence while the powerful Vedic deities like Indra, Mitra and Varuna were lost into oblivion, Ganapati continued to rise in popularity charts. A god who, changes with the times is a good one to emulate.
Lovable Ganesha
Mythology which is replete with stories of the virtues and intelligence of Ganesha many a time also takes a dig at the good natured Ganapati in his all too human predicaments.
His loving loyalty to his mother brought him at loggerheads with his own father -the mighty Shiva. He had to pay with a head replacement-that too of an elephant! But his determination to stick to his decision, despite the insurmountable obstacles in attaining it and without caring for the fallout is one of the greatest teachings he offers.
A prominent name for Ganesha in the Tamil is Pille or Pillaiyar, which means little child-that he is often represented as.
Ganesha is loving and caring and by invoking him at the beginning of any work, we become assured of its successful completion. He is
Vighnaharta that is remover of obstacles.
The Lord is almost always shown with a blessing hand. He is free in bestowing bounties and always lovingly watches over the lives of his devotees.
Ganapati’s physical imperfections –the pot belly that gives him his name Lambodar, his small eyes and his big ears make him even more humane and adorable.
Symbolic Ganesha
Ganapati’s entire form enunciates a deep symbolism. The elephant head denotes wisdom and immaterialness of physical beauty. His trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality.
The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen symbolizes sacrifice, as he broke it for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in the other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be perpetual.
The laddoo he holds in his trunk signifies the sweetness of the soul. His large ears convey that he is all ears to our petitions. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy.
Ganesha's engaging potbelly is equated with space. It is vast enough to hold all wisdom and life within it. By riding as lowly a creature as mouse he shows his humility and also his command over the dark forces that the mouse represents.
Having Buddhi, Siddhi and Riddhi as his consorts is symbolic of his mastery over intellect, spiritual power and prosperity.
Global Ganesha
Ganesha’s global demand can be gauged from the fact that our next door neighbors (Chini Bhais) have set up huge manufacturing units that churn out all sorts of images and paintings of Ganesha. So next time you go to the market, don’t be surprised to see a Made in China mark on the image that you so reverently would be holding in your palm.
Ganesha’s global image has evolved because of his innate qualities.
One reason for this is his ‘no snag around’ attitude. Mythological books may lay a hundred rules about the invocation and prayer of Ganapati, but actually the God is so simple and humble that he doesn’t mind being placed anywhere. Be it the fountain, garden, doorway or drawing room shelves-he is happy and patronizing.
Ganapati’s another quality is his versatility. When laying the foundation stone of a building, he is invoked. No new business or industry is started without a prayer to him. Prayers to Ganesha precede every Hindu ceremony. Travellers on lonely roads pay homage to him at roadside shrines for protection. In fact he is also invoked before offering prayers to the other Gods, which also accounts for his presence in every temple.
He is free in his bounties for all those who come to him and his blessings are not confined to ‘married women’ or ‘bachelors’ or ‘vegetarians’ or ‘sacrificers’, ‘students’ or ‘merchants’ His door is open to all.
Ganesha has proved in literal terms that Gods are omnipresent. His statues are all over the world-from gift shops to drawing rooms, from temples to cars and from parks to offices. He is a decorative item, a valuable gift, a lucky charm and a guiding angel. He is worshipped throughout the world as the fountainhead of wisdom and courage.
But the attribute that places Ganesha at the helm of the pantheon is the veiled lesson his life offers.
Ganesha was born with all physical and potential drawbacks. With an elephant head, a potbelly, and a mouse for a vehicle, he had many obstacles to overcome from the outset. But instead of running away from them, he converted his perceived disadvantages into enviable assets.
He struggled; fought, triumphed…….And became Ganesha.
(The views expressed by the author in the blog are his/her own)