Museum Report: Ganesha, Lord of Obstacles.

Running Head: MUSEUM REPORT: GANESHA, LORD OF OBSTACLES

Museum Report: Ganesha, Lord of Obstacles

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Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to identify the significance of Ganesha, the Hindu lord of

obstacles, in terms of its artistic attributes as a sculpture. I will also explore a brief historical

background of this mythological deity and in the process will also dwell upon reasons why it

was created in that particular time period. Let us start with a brief introduction to Ganesha, its

place in Hindu mythology, its history, legends about its origin, its appearance, significance of

various handheld gears and its association with different Hindu beliefs and rituals.

Mythological Background

Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He is worshipped as the God

of Wisdom and Success, and the remover of obstacles. Ganesha is also regarded as the Lord

of Beginnings and Patron of arts and sciences and Patron of letters.

Historical Background

Ganesha comes forth as a discernable deity in its present form in the 4th and 5th

centuries CE, in the Gupta Period, even though he inherited persona from Vedic and pre-

Vedic precursors. Ganesha’s fame spread quickly, and he was officially included in the five

primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu sect) in the 9th century. Several scriptures are dedicated

to Ganesha like the Ganesha Purana, the Ganapati Atharvashirsa and the Mudgala Purana.

(Marble Home. Ganesha.) This was believed to be a dark period all around the world and

several other pagan gods and deities appeared in the same epoch all over the globe.

Creation/Birth

According to Hindu mythology one day Parvati, before going to bathe, asked

Ganesha, to watch the area. When his father, Lord Shiva returned, Ganesha declined to allow

him an entrance in the house. Enraged, Lord Shiva chopped off his son’s head. Later, he

regretted his act and promised his wife that he would resurrect Ganesha by placing the head
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of the first living creature he would come across, which happened to be the elephant. Hence,

Ganesha became elephant god, with a human body and an elephant head.

Appearance

Statues always depict him with an elephant head and four arms. For he is believed to

have formed the four types of living creatures: terrestrial, aquatic, amphibian, and avian.

Ganesha's four arms are normally shown holding four of the following: a conch shell, a

sweet, a discus, a lotus, an elephant goad, a pasam, an axe, a broken tusk, a necklace or a

noose. Ganesha is usually painted red; he is pot bellied and usually has one broken tusk.

Ganesha's distinguishing pot belly is generally bound around with a cobra. Cobra is usually

linked with Shiva, a cue that Ganesha is his son. He is frequently shown riding on a rodent

which signifies that as rats are perceived as being skilled of gnawing their way through most

things, the rat is a metaphore for Ganesha's capability to raze every obstacle. Statues have

often shown him in the sitting and standing positions. Ganesha dancing, meditating, reclining,

and Darbar Ganesha and the child Ganesha are few of the other common styles. Dancing

Ganesha idols depicts him absorbed in dance. He is often shown in a typical Bharatanatyam

posture: balancing on one leg and the other raised and bent slightly at the knee. His whole

body makes a curvaceous ‘S' shape indicating that he is in motion. In his dancing statues or

paintings, we see Ganesha decorated with a convoluted headdress, and attractive jewelry that

adorns his neck, arms, and hips and sometimes surrounds his tusks. This jewelry signifies that

he is perceived as the source of good luck and wealth. (India Crafts. Dancing Ganesha.)

Connotations of Handheld Paraphernalia

A pasam is a triple string weapon. These three twines represent egotism and pride,

maya - the illusive nature of the real world and ignorance. In Hindu mythology weapons are

perceived as metaphors to destroy the ego rather than in their literal sense of causing

bloodshed. Goads (elephant prods) are normally used to direct elephants. They are symbols
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of how one ought to steer one’s soul away from the ignorance and delusions of the world.

(Lotus Sculpture. The Hindu god Lord the Remover of Obstacles.)

Associations

Ganesha statues and idols often decorate houses, offices, shops and hotels. Tiny

Ganesha figurines are often used as pendants, rings and as decorations for lamps. Ganesha

statues are believed to bring luck and wealth. (India Crafts. Ganesha Statue.)

Ganesha is widely worshipped as a remover of obstacles, though by tradition he also

places obstacles in the paths of those who need to be checked. According to Paul Courtright

"his task in the divine scheme of things, his dharma, is to place and remove obstacles. It is his

particular territory, the reason for his creation.” Krishan remarks that some of Ganesha's

names reveal tinges of multiple roles evolved over time. Dhavalikar attributes the rapid rise

of Ganesha in the Hindu mythology, and the materialization of the Ganapatyas, to this swing

in importance from vighnakartā (obstacle-creator) to vighnahart(obstacle-averter). Still, both

roles continue to be critical to his character, as Robert Brown enlightens, "even after he is

well-defined, in art remained predominantly important for his dual role as creator and

remover of obstacles, thus having both a negative and a positive aspect".

Conclusion

Ganesha’s image is found throughout India. Nearly all the Hindu sects worship him

regardless of other affiliations. This loyalty to Ganesha is even found in Jains and Buddhists.

The chubby, gentle and wise deity is accredited first by worshippers whenever they visit a

temple. He is the legendary writer who has used his broken tusk to write down parts of the

Mahabharata epic.

Ganesha has many names, he is known as Ganapati (Lord of the Hosts), Ekdanta,

Vinayaka, Heramba and most famously Vigneshvara (The Lord Destroyer of Obstacles). A

dancing Ganesh is termed as Nritya Vinayaka.

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In sculpture the position of Ganesha's belly has a symbolic importance. If the belly

turns to his left, a position associated with grihastas (householders), it is supposed to be the

direction for success in the world. . When right, the belly represents moksha, sign for

abandoning the world. The picture is showing his trunk position towards left side. (Lotus

Sculpture. The Hindu god Lord the Remover of Obstacles.)

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Reference

Marble Home. Ganesha. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from

http://www.moortiindia.com/articles-ganesha.html .

India Crafts. Ganesha Statue. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://www.india-

crafts.com/articles/ganesha-statue.html .

India Crafts. Dancing Ganesha. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://www.india-

crafts.com/articles/dancing-ganesha.html .

Lotus Sculpture. The Hindu god Lord the Remover of Obstacles. Retrieved November 8,

2008 from http://www.lotussculpture.com/ganesha1.htm .