14. Ganesh

in

Download PDF: PCT-014 Ganesh

  • Ganesh is the deity with an elephant’s head.
  • He has quite a fat body because he eats a lot, especially sweets.
  • He has four arms and holds an axe, a rope for tying elephants and a lotus flower. He sometimes carries a small round sweet, or he is shown with a whole bowl of sweets. With one hand, he gives blessings (good luck) to those who worship him.
  • Ganesh always dresses in very expensive clothes. He wears a garland made of flowers. He rides on a rat (which is small and Ganesh is quite big!)
  • One of Ganesh’s tusks is broken. Here is the story:

    One night Ganesh had eaten a really big feast at a friend’s house. He was riding home on his rat and feeling very happy. It was such a beautiful night! The moon was full and shining brightly. Suddenly, a big snake slid in front of them. Without thinking, the rat put on his brakes. But Ganesh kept on going and slid off, right onto the ground. Poof! His belly burst open! All the jellies and sweets he had just eaten fell on the ground. Splurge! Ganesh got up and held his belly together. “Come on, snake”, he said, “You will now have to help me!”. He picked up the snake and tied it around his belly (so that it wouldn’t burst open again.) Then he heard someone laughing. He looked up and saw that it was the moon. Ganesh got really angry. Don’t you laugh at me! He broke off his tusk and hurled it at the moon. Since then, the moon is not always full. Sometimes it is getting smaller and sometimes getting bigger. (See if you notice how the moon is changing –and in some pictures of Ganesh, you will see a snake tied round his belly. Now you know why!)

  • Ganesh is able to get rid of obstacles – the things that get in our way. Hindus worship him before starting anything important.
  • Ganesh’s parents are Shiva and Parvati. He has a brother called Skanda.
  • Ganesh’s birthday is in August or September. It is a big festival, especially in the Indian city of Mumbai. It finishes with a delicious feast.