About Lord Ganesh

Lord Ganesh, also known as Ganpati and Vinayaka is one of most adored and worshipped deities in the entire Hindu pantheon. Images and idols of Lord Ganesh are extremely common sights in all parts of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. All sects of Hinduism worship Him regardless of religious affiliations and devotion to Lord Ganesh is seen even among Jains and Buddhists.

He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The Lord is widely revered as he is believed to be the remover of obstacles, leading to success. Also the patron God of arts and sciences and the Lord of wisdom and intellect, Lord Ganesha is always worshipped at the beginning of any venture. This is an important ritual followed amongst Hindus and has strong historical significance.

The elephant-headed image of Lord Ganesh has made him easy to identify amongst millions of Gods and Goddesses in Hindu mythology. The colour red usually depicts the presence of Lord Ganesh. The appearance of the Lord is characterised by his pot belly, a broken tusk, four hands that hold a goad, a pasam, sweet meats or laddus and a pot of rice. His ‘vahan’ is a mouse and is always seen as his companion at his shrine.

The position of Lord Ganesh’s trunk holds great significance and depicts different meanings; if the trunk faces left, that means the idol will bring in success to your home. Such Ganesh idols are perfect for grihastas, or householders. If the trunk is on the right, the trunk represents moksha, which is ideal for people who wish to enter the path of renouncement. While buying idols of Lord Ganesh, these factors are often kept in mind for fulfilment of desires. Ganesh is particularly worshipped by traders and commercial vendors as he is believed to bring success in business deals. Grand celebrations are performed to please the Lord at the beginning of every financial year.