Ganesha, also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar, is one of the most worshipped deities in the Hindu Patheon. Although Ganesh has many attributes, he is readily identified by his elephant head. He is revered as the remover of obstacles and thought to bring good luck and is the deva of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rites and ceremonies.
The name Ganesha is a Sanskrit compound, joining the words "Gana", meaning a group, multitude and "Isha", meaning lord or master. The Amarkosha, an early Sanskrit lexicon, lists eight synonyms of Ganesha, Vinayaka, Vighnaraja (equivalent to Ganesha), Dvaimatura (one who has two mothers), Ganadhipa (equivalent to Ganapati), Ekadanta (one who has a tusk), Heramba, Lambodara (one who has a pot belly) and Gajanana (having the face of an elephant). The name is reflected in the meaning of eight famous temples in Maharashtra known as the Ashtavinayak. A prominent name for Ganesha in the Tamil language is Pillai.
How Ganesha came to have the head of an elephant is explained in many stories. One account of his birth is that Parvati formed him from the rubbings of her body so that he might stand guard at the door while she bathed. When Shiva approached, unaware this was his son, he was enraged at being kept away from his wife and proceeded to lop off the head of Ganesha. To ease Parvati's grief, Shiva promised to cut off the head of the first living thing he saw and attach it to the body. That creature was an elephant. The Hindu god Ganesha was thus restored to life and rewarded for his courage by being made lord of new beginnings and guardian of entrances. Popularly believed to be the son of Shiva and Parvati, his family includes his brother, the god of war, called Skanda or Kartikeya. Skanda was one of the most important martial deities in northern India from around 500 BC -600 AD.
According to Kundalini yoga, Ganesha resides in the first chakra, called Muladhara. Mula means " original or main", adhara means "base", foundation. He has a permanent abode in every being.
In sculpture the different positions of Lord Ganesha's trunk have different symbolic meanings. If the trunk turns to Ganesha's left, that is the direction for success in the world. It is a position associated with grihastha, or householders. To his right, the trunk represents moksha, good for renouncing the world and should always be kept in a temple, where regularly prayers are performed. If the trunk is totally straight, it is worshipped for mental health of kids in the family and if straight up in the air, denotes that the Sushumna Nadi (connects the first Muladhara chakra to the seventh Sahasara chakra) is entirely open.
Festivals associated with Ganesha are Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi (the fourth day of the waxing moon), in the month of Bhadrapada (August/September) and Ganesh Jayanti (Ganesh's birthday) celebrated on Chaturthi (fourth day of waxing moon) in the month of magha (January/ February).
The Pashupati seal (2300 BC - 2000 BC) depicts four animals including an elephant around a deity to be Shiva. Depiction of elephant headed human figures appear in Indian art and coinage as early as the 2nd century. Ganesha was known to the people of Sri Lanka in the pre-Christian era. Ganpati appears in the Rig Veda twice. The Sangam period Tamil poet Avvaiyar (3rd century BC) invokes Ganesha while preparing the invitation to three Tamil kingdoms for giving away in marriage of Angavay and Sangavay of Ceylon in marriage to the king of Tirucovalur.
In Burmese language, Ganesh is known as Maha Peinne, and in Thailand is Phra Phikanet. In Sri Lanka, among the Sinhalese Buddhists, he is known as Gana deviyo.
Shah Alam II, Maratha Empire, Rupee, 1792, Obverse: Devanagari lettering with Persian lettering ''sri ganesha'', Reverse: Devanagari legends with Persian inscription mint name Murtazabad, Prat Pradhan, meaning Prime Minister.
Ivory Coast, 2013, 1001 Francs, non-circulating Coin, silver, weight 25 gm, Commemorative Issue, Obverse: Coat of Arms, lettering translated to Republic of Ivory Coast, Reverse: Ganesha on a Pipal leaf with Sanskrit Shloka
Cooks Islands, 20 Dollars, Elizabeth II, 2019, gold plated silver, weight 93.3 gm, non-circulating coin, Obverse: lettering Elizabeth II, Cook Island, 20 Dollars,
