{"id":4214,"date":"2026-04-27T10:36:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T10:36:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/ganesha\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T14:24:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T14:24:59","slug":"ganesha","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/","title":{"rendered":"Ganesha"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"4214\" class=\"elementor elementor-4214 elementor-2066 elementor-bc-flex-widget\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10fdade e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"10fdade\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-herohlft0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"herohlft0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c3ceb64 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c3ceb64\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96ae5e1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"96ae5e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ganesha, god of the Hindu tradition<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e45238a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e45238a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha is a god of the Hindu <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The passing on of knowledge and narratives across generations.\" tabindex=\"0\">tradition<\/span>.<\/p><p>The elephant-headed god, remover of obstacles and lord of beginnings. Ganesha is one of the most beloved gods of Hinduism, not for his might but for his wisdom and humorous benevolence.<\/p><p>With his massive elephant head, his ample, gentle body and the mouse *Mooshika* at his feet, he embodies everything that is reassuring and at the same time cosmically surprising.<\/p><p>No Hindu undertaking begins without Ganesha&#8217;s <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Pronouncement of salvation and protection, often in fixed linguistic form.\" tabindex=\"0\">blessing<\/span>, whether a letter, a journey, or a business. He is the scribe of the Mahabharata, the companion of every beginning.<\/p><p>Ganesha is patron of the removal of obstacles and tutelary <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being venerated as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span> of new beginnings.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-klsbdg01 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"klsbdg01\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-klshtm01 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"klshtm01\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iwg-pill-row\"><span class=\"iwg-klasse-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"God \/ Goddess: Personified supreme power within a culture's pantheon, with clear domains, forces of nature, fate, war, fertility. Venerated through cults, offerings and temple institutions.\">God<\/span><a href=\"\/en\/hinduism\/\" class=\"iwg-kultur-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Hindu worlds of gods, asuras and protective beings, from Vedic to Tantric.\">Hinduism<\/a><a href=\"\/en\/protective-deities\/\" class=\"iwg-tradition-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Protective deities, guardians of house, city, births, journeys or stages of life.\">Tutelary Deity<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f74855 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3f74855\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c30362 elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"1c30362\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;Es wurden keine \\u00dcberschriften auf dieser Seite gefunden.&quot;,&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;bullets&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;fas fa-circle&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;,&quot;rendered_tag&quot;:&quot;&lt;svg class=\\&quot;e-font-icon-svg e-fas-circle\\&quot; viewBox=\\&quot;0 0 512 512\\&quot; xmlns=\\&quot;http:\\\/\\\/www.w3.org\\\/2000\\\/svg\\&quot;&gt;&lt;path d=\\&quot;M256 8C119 8 8 119 8 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248S393 8 256 8z\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/path&gt;&lt;\\\/svg&gt;&quot;},&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tTable of Contents\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M207.029 381.476L12.686 187.132c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941l22.667-22.667c9.357-9.357 24.522-9.375 33.901-.04L224 284.505l154.745-154.021c9.379-9.335 24.544-9.317 33.901.04l22.667 22.667c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941L240.971 381.476c-9.373 9.372-24.569 9.372-33.942 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M240.971 130.524l194.343 194.343c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941l-22.667 22.667c-9.357 9.357-24.522 9.375-33.901.04L224 227.495 69.255 381.516c-9.379 9.335-24.544 9.317-33.901-.04l-22.667-22.667c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941L207.03 130.525c9.372-9.373 24.568-9.373 33.941-.001z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M500 975V858C696 858 858 696 858 500S696 142 500 142 142 304 142 500H25C25 237 238 25 500 25S975 237 975 500 763 975 500 975Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-herorght0 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"herorght0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-heroimg00 iwg-hero-image elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"heroimg00\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha-683x1024.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-4215\" alt=\"Ganesha - Gods from the Hindu tradition, historical-illustrative\" srcset=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha-683x1024.webp 683w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha-200x300.webp 200w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha-768x1152.webp 768w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-32917199 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"32917199\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26e916cb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"26e916cb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-253a40d4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"253a40d4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1200c304 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1200c304\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ganesha<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-159dcf9a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"159dcf9a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48cee66f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"48cee66f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Short Profile: Ganesha<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f50d82c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3f50d82c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> Major Hindu deity, god of the removal of obstacles and of wisdom<br><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The totality of the gods of a religion or culture.\" tabindex=\"0\">Pantheon<\/span>: Hinduism (Shaivism, Smartism, venerated across all Hindu traditions)<br>Function: Remover of obstacles, patron of learning, presiding deity at the beginning of every undertaking<br>Main attributes: elephant head, four arms, broken tusk, modaka (sweet dumpling)<br>Principal <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The totality of religious acts of veneration for a deity or sacred figure.\" tabindex=\"0\">cult<\/span> sites: Mumbai (Siddhi-Vinayak), Pune, Sri Lanka (Tamil tradition)<br>Buddhist identification: Vinayaka (in <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"'Diamond Vehicle'; tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism, primarily in Tibet, centered on Yidam practice and mantra technique.\" tabindex=\"0\">Vajrayana<\/span> Buddhism)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18613602 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"18613602\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-262b8a9f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"262b8a9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Context<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46dcb7d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"46dcb7d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61d3ab3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"61d3ab3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-117c166 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"117c166\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Period of the Texts<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73997a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"73997a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha is attested iconographically from the 5th century BCE; in literature he already appears in the <em>Rigveda<\/em> in an early form (as Brahmanaspati). He rises to a leading deity during the Gupta period (4th to 6th centuries CE).<\/p><p>The main cultic season today is the Ganesha Chaturthi festival week (August\/September), especially in Mumbai and Maharashtra. In the 19th century Bal Gangadhar Tilak elevated him to a political and cultural <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sign that stands in for a notion or meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">symbol<\/span> of Indian identity.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d47b156 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d47b156\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff38c2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff38c2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Geographic Distribution<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e49fcc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e49fcc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Principal cult sites in India: <strong>Mumbai<\/strong> (Siddhi-Vinayak <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building dedicated to the worship of one or several deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span>, one of the most visited Hindu <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building dedicated to the worship of one or several deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temples<\/span> worldwide), <strong>Pune<\/strong> (Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati), the Ashtavinayaka <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A religiously motivated journey to a sacred site.\" tabindex=\"0\">pilgrimage<\/span> route (eight Ganesha <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building dedicated to the worship of one or several deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temples<\/span> in Maharashtra), <strong>Tirupati<\/strong> as a subordinate <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred place dedicated to the veneration of a deity.\" tabindex=\"0\">sanctuary<\/span>.<\/p><p>Internationally: the Tamil diaspora in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Mauritius, Malaysia. In Hindu temples around the world a Ganesha statue usually stands at the entrance.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db03c39 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"db03c39\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-229a87b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"229a87b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f471fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1f471fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">State of the Sources<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36b1201 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"36b1201\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Central sources: the <em>Ganesha Purana<\/em> (the main source), the <em>Mudgala Purana<\/em>, the <em>Ganapati Atharvashirsha<\/em> (a Vedic-style hymn), and sections of the <em>Skanda Purana<\/em> and <em>Brahma Purana<\/em>. Secondary literature: Brown, <em>Ganesh: Studies of an Asian God<\/em>; Courtright, <em>Ga&ntilde;e&#347;a: Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings<\/em>; Bailey, <em>Ganeshapur&acirc;na<\/em>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ae0637c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3ae0637c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31d07739 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"31d07739\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Names and Spellings<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b7642947 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b7642947\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a086266 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a086266\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div><p>Ganesha is depicted as a rotund, good-natured god with the head of a red or grey-blue elephant. One tusk is frequently damaged or broken off, in keeping with a story according to which he sacrificed it in order to complete his manuscript.<\/p><p>He often wears a plain garment or a tiger skin. Around him are placed modaka (sweet dumplings), flowers and incense. At his feet sits his mouse <em>Mooshika<\/em>, who appears insignificant yet, in Ganesha <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Religious-ritual tradition in Hinduism and Buddhism with a doctrine of energy polarities.\" tabindex=\"0\">Tantra<\/span>, can be read as the totality of his being (Moos = <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A bodiless being to which efficacy in the world is ascribed.\" tabindex=\"0\">spirit<\/span>, Shika = form).<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-709a44a8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"709a44a8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f585873 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2f585873\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Description<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70621c12 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"70621c12\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4296eb49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4296eb49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha is venerated <em>before<\/em> any other god, whether at a private <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Raised place or table for offerings and religious actions.\" tabindex=\"0\">altar<\/span> or in the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building dedicated to the worship of one or several deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span>. The motto-<span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The verbal turning of a person toward a deity.\" tabindex=\"0\">prayer<\/span> <em>Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha<\/em> wards off obstacles. In schools and universities Ganesha statues are installed for blessing ceremonies at the start of term.<\/p><p>The mouse beneath his feet symbolises the ego, which must be tamed. Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival of colours, music and public processions in which colossal statues are immersed in rivers.<\/p><p><strong>Appearance and Symbolism<\/strong><\/p><p><em>Ganesha<\/em> bears a heavy, red elephant head on a human, corpulent body with four arms. A single tusk is missing. He often holds a quill, a staff, a sweet rice cake or a noose. The mouse is his mount. This <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Study of pictorial content and its meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">iconography<\/span> joins intellect, wisdom, prosperity and humility.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44e71476 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"44e71476\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c1fc3f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3c1fc3f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Profile: Ganesha<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84f33b8e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"84f33b8e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-hqkdc67p elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"hqkdc67p\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The most important aspects of Ganesha at a glance. The following fields summarise origin, function, appearance, veneration, symbols and parallels.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-qh9oavvu iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"qh9oavvu\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-awzx8k2k elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"awzx8k2k\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Tradition<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-x6rowhv0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"x6rowhv0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati. In the best-known <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A transmitted narrative about gods, origins and the order of the world.\" tabindex=\"0\">myth<\/span> Parvati forms him from sandalwood paste to guard her door. Shiva, who does not recognise him, beheads him in anger.<\/p><p>At Parvati&#8217;s plea, Shiva replaces the lost head with that of the first available animal, an elephant. He is the brother of the war-god Skanda\/Murugan and, in some traditions, the consort of Riddhi and Siddhi.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e3o4kxs iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8e3o4kxs\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-08rkdgov elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"08rkdgov\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Addressees<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-uwjelx8s elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"uwjelx8s\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Vighnaharta<\/strong> (&#8220;Remover of Obstacles&#8221;). He is <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The petitioning or invoking address to a deity or power.\" tabindex=\"0\">invoked<\/span> before every new undertaking: weddings, journeys, the signing of contracts, the beginning of studies, the inauguration of offices and homes. He is the patron of scribes, teachers and students.<\/p><p>In the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Religious-ritual tradition in Hinduism and Buddhism with a teaching of energetic polarities.\">Tantra<\/span> tradition he is a key deity for the M&#363;l&#257;dh&#257;ra <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An energy node in the subtle body according to Indian tradition; classical tantra recognizes seven main chakras along the spine.\" tabindex=\"0\">chakra<\/span> (root chakra). In the arts and in dance he is patron of literary and musical inspiration.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-jm2n74ec iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"jm2n74ec\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8vufse4c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8vufse4c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Representation<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-mwb9u015 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"mwb9u015\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>An elephant-headed figure with a thick human belly and four (sometimes six, eight or ten) arms. Skin colour red, gold or ivory. <strong>One broken tusk<\/strong> (in the Mahabharata tradition he broke it off in order to write the Mahabharata down).<\/p><p>His mount (vahana) is the <em>mouse<\/em> Mushika, a striking contrast to the elephant form. Attributes (in the four-armed form): axe, noose, modaka sweet, lotus. The seated posture is Lalit&acirc;sana (relaxed pose); he is often shown dancing.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37ss2yr6 iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"37ss2yr6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3v0wp3wx elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3v0wp3wx\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ganesha's Effect<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-w3247g2m elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"w3247g2m\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Sphere of efficacy:<\/strong> Ganesha is the most frequently invoked Hindu <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being venerated as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span> in everyday life. Before every new undertaking the formula &bdquo;Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha&ldquo; is recited. Pupils pray to him before examinations. Business owners install Ganesha statues at the entrance of the shop and at the till.<\/p><p><em>Ganesha Chaturthi<\/em> (a ten-day festival in August\/September) is one of the largest Hindu festivals, with processions and the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An ordered sequence of symbolic actions with religious or cultural meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">ritual<\/span> immersion of clay statues in water. Internationally he is also popular in modern spiritual movements.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0qpjal9w iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0qpjal9w\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6ndoih0o elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6ndoih0o\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ganesha's Defensive Attributes<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6684tyh9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6684tyh9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Elephant head, broken tusk, four arms, modaka (sweet dumpling), axe (or Pasha noose), lotus, mouse (vahana), serpent as a belt, ample belly (cosmic abundance), the Om <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sign that stands in for a notion or meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">symbol<\/span>. Flower: red hibiscus. He turns around himself (in one <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The totality of the transmitted divine narratives of a culture.\" tabindex=\"0\">mythology<\/span> he circles Shiva and Parvati as the entire universe, depicted as a sibling race with Skanda).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3lfi7x32 iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3lfi7x32\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0kg99ga1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0kg99ga1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Related Beings<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-n0fum6kp elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"n0fum6kp\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Vinayaka<\/em> (&#8220;Supreme Leader&#8221;; Buddhism, the Vajrayana adoption), <em>Kangiten<\/em> (Japan, in the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Diamond Vehicle; tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism, primarily in Tibet, centred on Yidam practice.\">Vajrayana<\/span> schools), <em>Hermes<\/em> (Greece, patron of paths and beginnings), <em>Janus<\/em> (Rome, the threshold god with two faces), the <em>heraldic threshold guardians<\/em> (Mesopotamia, winged bulls). In a wider comparison: <em>Bes<\/em> (Egypt) as a household protector and easer of difficulty, who is likewise invoked at thresholds.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7533bc7a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7533bc7a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2447d18d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2447d18d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Practical Means of Protection<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5d0260c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d5d0260c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-341be2ac elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"341be2ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Rituals of Veneration<\/strong><\/p><p>Ganesha is the remover of obstacles (<em>Vighnaharta<\/em>, &#8220;Remover of Obstacles&#8221;). Before every new beginning (the founding of a business, moving into a house, taking up writing, a wedding) a Ganesha-p&#363;j&#257; is performed.<\/p><p>The principal festival is <em>Ganesh Chaturthi<\/em> (in the month of Bhadrapada, August\/September) with ten days of veneration, especially celebrated in Maharashtra (Pune, Mumbai), where monumental Ganesha murtis are set up and immersed in the sea on Anant Chaturdashi (cf. Brown, <em>Ganesh: Studies of an Asian God<\/em>).<\/p><p>Modaka (sweet rice dumplings) are his preferred food <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The concrete object or food offered to a deity.\" tabindex=\"0\">offering<\/span>.<\/p><p><strong>Mantras and Invocations<\/strong><\/p><p>The Ganesha b&#299;ja <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred syllable or formula repeated aloud in Hinduism and Buddhism.\" tabindex=\"0\">mantra<\/span> &#8220;Gam&#8221; and the m&#363;la <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred syllable or formula repeated aloud in Hinduism and Buddhism.\" tabindex=\"0\">mantra<\/span> &#8220;Om Gam Ganapataye Namah&#803;&#8221; stand at the opening of almost every Hindu ritual. The Ganesha Atharvashirsha (an Upanishadic text) is his central liturgical hymn. The Sankashtahara Stotra is recited on Sankashti Chaturthi (the fourth lunar night of each month) for release from obstacles.<\/p><p><strong><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A worn object to which a protective, misfortune-averting effect is attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">Amulets<\/span> and Protective Symbols<\/strong><\/p><p>Small Ganesha statuettes in brass, silver or sandalwood at house entrances, in cars and on desks. His vahana (mount) is the mouse, symbolising suppressed desires. <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A geometric diagram used for ritual purposes in Hinduism and Buddhism.\" tabindex=\"0\">Yantra<\/span> diagrams with Ganesha at the centre, engraved on copper plates, serve as <em>v&#257;stu-sh&#257;nti<\/em> protection. The <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sign that stands in for a notion or meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">symbol<\/span> of the broken half-tusk is worn as a keepsake pendant.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a584676 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5a584676\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d0757bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6d0757bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ganesha: Parallels in Other Cultures<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60563f68 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"60563f68\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a93fdd6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5a93fdd6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha resembles the Greek Hermes (god of writing and rhetoric) and the Egyptian Thoth (god of wisdom and writing). His ample, gentle figure recalls humorous figures from traditions worldwide: the reassuring <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A traditional narrative with an often historical core and wondrous elements.\" tabindex=\"0\">sage<\/span> who instructs through absurdity. In modern Western <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Collective term for teachings that claim a hidden knowledge accessible only to initiates.\" tabindex=\"0\">esoteric<\/span> circles Ganesha is popular as a <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sign that stands in for a notion or meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">symbol<\/span> of overcoming obstacles and of humorous letting-go.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp51e2c5f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cp51e2c5f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp85e7d69 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp85e7d69\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Lost Head: The Birth Myths of Ganesha<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp30e856e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp30e856e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpab7e54a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cpab7e54a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>No other aspect of Ganesha has preoccupied the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The transmission of knowledge and narrative across generations.\" tabindex=\"0\">transmission<\/span> as much as his elephant head. The best-known version is found in the <em>Shiva Purana<\/em>: Parvati formed the boy from the rubbings of her own body and placed him as a guard before her bath.<\/p><p>When Shiva sought entry and the boy did not recognise him, the god struck off his head in anger. In order to console Parvati&#8217;s grief, Shiva had the head fetched from the first creature found sleeping with its face turned northward, and it was an elephant.<\/p><p>The <em>Brahmavaivarta Purana<\/em> tells the story differently: here Ganesha is begotten jointly by Shiva and Parvati, yet the gaze of the planetary god Shani, which by virtue of a <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A verbal formula intended to inflict harm on a person or object.\" tabindex=\"0\">curse<\/span> burns up everything it looks upon, incinerates the original head of the child.<\/p><p>Vishnu then procures the replacement. Other texts, including passages of the <em>Linga Purana<\/em>, have Ganesha come into the world already with an elephant head in order to fulfil a cosmic mission.<\/p><p><span data-nosnippet>This variety is not a contradiction to be resolved. Indology, for example in the works of Paul Courtright (<em>Ga&#7751;e&#347;a: Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings<\/em>, 1985) and Robert Brown (ed., <em>Ganesh: Studies of an Asian God<\/em>, 1991), reads the competing birth myths as layers belonging to different sects and periods.<\/span><\/p><p>The guardian <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A transmitted narrative about gods, origins and the order of the world.\" tabindex=\"0\">myth<\/span> emphasises the separation of mother and son and the reception of the son into the masculine order of the gods through a violent act of <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A ritual transition through which someone is admitted into a new status or community.\" tabindex=\"0\">initiation<\/span>.<\/p><p>The Shani variant shifts the responsibility away from the father onto an impersonal cosmic force. In both cases the exchange of heads marks the transition from a shaped creature to a fully divine being.<\/p><p>The broken tusk, another standard feature of the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Study of pictorial content and its meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">iconography<\/span>, has its own narratives: sometimes Ganesha loses it in combat with Parashurama, sometimes he breaks it off himself in order to write down the <a href=\"\/en\/hinduism\/\">Mahabharata<\/a> dictated to him by the sage Vyasa.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpb694742 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cpb694742\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp164c8a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp164c8a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Iconography and Material Culture<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp17ac960 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp17ac960\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpad0bcaa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cpad0bcaa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha&#8217;s pictorial formula has remained remarkably stable over the centuries and at the same time rich in carriers of meaning. The pot-bellied body, the elephant head with one whole and one broken tusk, the usually four arms and the small mount, a rat or mouse (<em>m&#363;&#7779;ika<\/em>), form the core.<\/p><p>The hands carry varying attributes: an axe or an elephant goad (<em>a&#7749;ku&#347;a<\/em>), a noose (<em>p&#257;&#347;a<\/em>), a bowl of sweets (<em>modaka<\/em>) and frequently a gesture of fearlessness or of granting boons. The elephant goad refers to the guidance of the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An incorporeal being to which effects in the world are attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">mind<\/span>, the noose to the catching of obstacles.<\/p><p>The earliest securely identified Ganesha images come from the Gupta period, that is, the fourth to sixth centuries.<\/p><p>Older depictions of elephant-headed beings are disputed; some scholars point to <em>vin&#257;yaka<\/em> figures in pre-<span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The era of Greek and Roman culture, roughly 800 BCE to 600 CE.\" tabindex=\"0\">classical<\/span> texts who were regarded as malevolent obstacle-makers and only later coalesced into a single benevolent god. This transformation from a feared into a venerated figure is one of the central themes of scholarship.<\/p><p>In material culture the spectrum reaches from monumental temple sculptures through household shrines to mass-produced objects. The pictorial practice becomes especially visible at the festival of <em>Ganesha Chaturthi<\/em>, when clay figures are made, venerated and finally dissolved in bodies of water.<\/p><p>The colossal, often plaster-cast festival figures of modern Maharashtra have given rise to an environmental debate of their own, because the materials pollute the water.<\/p><p>Outside India Ganesha is found in the art of Southeast Asia, for example in Java and Cambodia, where regional pictorial types developed, and in Tantric contexts in Tibet and Japan, where he appears as <em>Kangiten<\/em> in a double-figured embracing form.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpdb6f317 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cpdb6f317\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp898254d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp898254d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Theological Standing and the Rank of First-Invoked Deity<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpf6ba519 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cpf6ba519\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp4306094 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cp4306094\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha occupies a special place in the Hindu household of gods that overrides his relatively late entry into the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The collection of sacred scriptures recognised as binding within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">canon<\/span>. As <em>Vighneshvara<\/em>, lord of obstacles, he can both erect and remove impediments.<\/p><p>From this follows the ritual practice of <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The pleading or invoking address to a deity or power.\" tabindex=\"0\">invoking<\/span> him first before every undertaking, every journey, every temple construction and every recitation of texts. This precedence holds across sectarian lines and makes him one of the few gods venerated equally by Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Shaktas.<\/p><p>Within Shiva&#8217;s family, Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Kartikeya, the war-god, who in southern India enjoys a great cult of his own as Murugan.<\/p><p>Several myths recount the contest of the brothers, the best known being the race around the world: while Kartikeya circles the globe on his peacock, Ganesha merely walks around his parents, arguing that they are for him the entire world, and so wins the prize.<\/p><p>The story also founds his reputation as the clever rather than the swift son.<\/p><p>A <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The academic study of God and the doctrines of a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">theological<\/span> tradition of its own, the Ganapatya current, raised Ganesha during the medieval period to the highest <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being venerated as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span> and produced in the <em>Ganapati Atharvashirsha<\/em> a text that identifies him with the absolute <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"In Hinduism the absolute, formless, attributeless being; reflected in the Upanishads as the ground of all appearances.\" tabindex=\"0\">Brahman<\/span>. This school remained regionally limited, above all in Maharashtra, but it has lastingly shaped the philosophical elevation of Ganesha.<\/p><p>In its symbolism the elephant head is read as great understanding, the trunk as the faculty of discernment and the mouse as desire that has been tamed, an allegorical reading which derives above all from more recent commentaries.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp5ec2a49 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cp5ec2a49\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp6ce3e0c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp6ce3e0c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Reception from the Colonial Period to the Present<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp8aff190 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp8aff190\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpaba2f70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cpaba2f70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha&#8217;s modern reception history is closely bound up with political and cultural upheaval. At the end of the 19th century the nationalist Bal Gangadhar Tilak turned the festival of <em>Ganesha Chaturthi<\/em> in Maharashtra into a large public event.<\/p><p>The previously largely domestic celebration became a communal occasion which, under British rule, made possible assembly and collective identity. Part of the public visibility of the festival that persists to this day stems from this politicisation.<\/p><p>In the 20th and 21st centuries Ganesha became arguably the most internationally recognised Hindu <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being venerated as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span>. His diffusion in global popular culture, in yoga studios, on consumer goods and in advertising, has repeatedly given rise to debates about appropriation and disrespectful treatment.<\/p><p>Hindu organisations have protested on several occasions against the use of his image on shoes, on swimwear or in contexts connected with alcohol.<\/p><p>Within India too, Ganesha remains politically and socially charged. The Pancha Ganapati celebration in the Hindu diaspora and the discussion of environmentally sustainable festival figures both show that the tradition is continually renegotiated.<\/p><p>In scholarship, Paul Courtright&#8217;s psychoanalytically inflected reading of individual myths triggered fierce controversies in the 2000s and thereby also raised the question of who may write about religious images and by what methods.<\/p><p>To this extent the reception history of Ganesha is also a history of the dispute over who owns a god who has become global.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpe712f61 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cpe712f61\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp09bea9d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp09bea9d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Textual Tradition: Where Our Knowledge Comes From<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp6c9e577 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp6c9e577\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp282a70f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cp282a70f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Unlike the case of the great Vedic gods, Ganesha&#8217;s source situation can be dated comparatively precisely, and it is exactly this that makes him interesting for the history of religions.<\/p><p>In the oldest Vedic texts a single elephant-headed <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being venerated as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span> is absent. Early mentions of <em>vin&#257;yaka<\/em> refer to a group of obstacle-<span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A spiritual being to which harmful or ambivalent effect is attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">demons<\/span>, for example in the <em>M&#257;nava-G&#7771;hyas&#363;tra<\/em>, a ritual text that describes procedures for placating these beings.<\/p><p>The transition to the familiar god takes place in the Puranas of the first centuries of the first millennium and afterwards. The <em>Y&#257;j&ntilde;avalkya-Sm&#7771;ti<\/em> already knows a single Vinayaka as lord of obstacles.<\/p><p>The <em>Shiva Purana<\/em>, the <em>Skanda Purana<\/em> and above all the <em>Ganesha Purana<\/em> as well as the <em>Mudgala Purana<\/em> systematically build out the biography. The latter two are pure Ganesha-Puranas and belong to the Ganapatya tradition; they are comparatively late, often dated to the second millennium.<\/p><p>For scholarship the result is a clear picture of a god forming before our eyes.<\/p><p><span data-nosnippet>Studies by Yuvraj Krishan (<em>Ga&#7751;e&#347;a: Unravelling an Enigma<\/em>, 1999) and the contributions in the volume edited by Robert Brown have shown how a unified profile condensed from several strands: the Vedic obstacle-demons, a possible popular animal cult, and the integration into Shiva&#8217;s family.<\/span><\/p><p>Inscriptions, coin finds and datable sculptures supply the archaeological control. Where texts and pictorial works diverge in date, scholarship remains cautious, for instance on the question whether certain early elephant-headed reliefs already refer to Ganesha or still to older local deities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp5f32679 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cp5f32679\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpb51246b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cpb51246b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ritual Practice: Invocation, Festival and Everyday Veneration<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp1fd4e84 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp1fd4e84\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp4f08ccd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cp4f08ccd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ganesha&#8217;s veneration ranges from the brief opening formula to the multi-day festival. In everyday domestic life the <em>p&#363;j&#257;<\/em> stands at the centre, the offering of water, flowers, incense, lamp-light and food.<\/p><p>Ganesha is especially associated with <em>modaka<\/em>, a filled sweet dumpling, and with the red hibiscus, as well as with the grass <em>d&#363;rv&#257;<\/em>, which is presented to him in bundles. Before examinations, the founding of a business, house inaugurations and weddings he is invoked first, often with the formula <em>o&#7747; ga&#7747; ga&#7751;apataye nama&#7717;<\/em>.<\/p><p>The annual <em>Ganesha Chaturthi<\/em> in the month of Bhadrapada is the moment of greatest ritual density. A clay figure is brought to life through recitation (<em>pr&#257;&#7751;aprati&#7779;&#7789;h&#257;<\/em>), venerated over hours or days and finally dissolved in a body of water (<em>visarjana<\/em>).<\/p><p>The temporary presence of the god and the deliberate dissolution of the figure are theologically significant: the god is a guest, not a permanent possession. In Maharashtra this has given rise to public pavilions, processions and competitions.<\/p><p>In addition there are specialised practices. Tantric schools know their own <em><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred syllable or formula repeated aloud in Hinduism and Buddhism.\" tabindex=\"0\">mantra<\/span><\/em> and <em><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A geometric diagram used for ritual purposes in Hinduism and Buddhism.\" tabindex=\"0\">yantra<\/span><\/em> procedures for Ganesha, for example for the removal of obstacles before <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Practices that seek to intervene in the course of events through special actions or formulas.\" tabindex=\"0\">magical<\/span> and ritual undertakings. The <em>Ashtavinayaka<\/em> pilgrimage to eight self-arisen Ganesha <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred place dedicated to the veneration of a deity.\" tabindex=\"0\">sanctuaries<\/span> in Maharashtra binds regional <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The lived religious attitude and practice of a person.\" tabindex=\"0\">piety<\/span> into a fixed network of routes.<\/p><p>The weekday Tuesday and certain lunar days are also considered especially <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Handed over to the sacred through a religious act and thereby set apart from the everyday.\" tabindex=\"0\">dedicated<\/span> to him. Common to all these forms is the function that gives meaning to the entire practice: Ganesha is invoked so that a beginning may succeed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36dd7469 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"36dd7469\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-13760ab4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"13760ab4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Further Links<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28c87796 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"28c87796\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d6538df elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5d6538df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/shiva\/\">Shiva, the father<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/hinduism\/\">Hinduism, pantheon overview<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/high-deities\/\">High deities, sub-category<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/gods\/\">Gods, class overview<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-grl4kl40 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"grl4kl40\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bzsbfrmh elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bzsbfrmh\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Literature (Selection)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c13224a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2c13224a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0eymh9ub elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0eymh9ub\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<footer class=\"iwg-literatur\" data-nosnippet=\"true\"><ul><li><span data-nosnippet>Brown, Robert L. (ed.): <em>Ganesh: Studies of an Asian God<\/em>. Albany 1991.<\/span><\/li><li><span data-nosnippet>Courtright, Paul B.: <em>Ga&ntilde;e&#347;a: Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings<\/em>. New York 1985.<\/span><\/li><li><span data-nosnippet>Bailey, Greg: <em>The Ganeshapur&acirc;na<\/em>. Wiesbaden 1995.<\/span><\/li><li><span data-nosnippet>Michaels, Axel: <em>Hinduism: Past and Present<\/em>. Princeton 2004.<\/span><\/li><li>Walde, Christine (ed.): <em>Der Neue Pauly<\/em> (entry &bdquo;Ganesha&ldquo;).<\/li><\/ul><\/footer>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a51f6e8 e-con-boxed e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a51f6e8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6ed18d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6ed18d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Frequently Asked Questions about Ganesha<\/h2><div class=\"iwg-faq-q\"><h3>Who is Ganesha in Hinduism?<\/h3><p>Ganesha (Sanskrit Ga&#7751;e&#347;a, Lord of the Ga&#7751;as, that is, of the divine retinues) is one of the most popular gods of Hinduism, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati. He is regarded as guardian of thresholds, remover of obstacles (Vighnaharta) and patron of beginnings, of the art of writing and of wisdom.<\/p><p>Before every important undertaking, a wedding, a business opening or the start of a book, Ganesha is invoked. His mount is a small mouse (Mooshika), which produces a striking tension with the size of the elephant.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"iwg-faq-q\"><h3>Why does Ganesha have an elephant head?<\/h3><p>The central <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A transmitted narrative about gods, origins and the order of the world.\" tabindex=\"0\">myth<\/span>: Parvati made the boy Ganesha from sandalwood paste to stand guard while she bathed. When Shiva came home and the unknown boy refused him entry, Shiva struck off his head in anger.<\/p><p>When he realised that this was Parvati&#8217;s son, he promised to take the first head his servant could find, and it was the head of an elephant. The story is iconographically central, but it also has a deep <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sign that stands representatively for a concept or meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">symbolic<\/span> meaning: Ganesha unites animal and god, intellect (the elephant counts as wise) and humility.<\/p><\/div><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Who is Ganesha in Hinduism?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Ganesha (Sanskrit Ga&#7751;e&#347;a, Lord of the Ga&#7751;as, that is, of the divine retinues) is one of the most popular gods of Hinduism, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati. He is regarded as guardian of thresholds, remover of obstacles (Vighnaharta) and patron of beginnings, of the art of writing and of wisdom.Before every important undertaking, a wedding, a business opening or the start of a book, Ganesha is invoked. His mount is a small mouse (Mooshika), which produces a striking tension with the size of the elephant.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why does Ganesha have an elephant head?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The central myth: Parvati made the boy Ganesha from sandalwood paste to stand guard while she bathed. When Shiva came home and the unknown boy refused him entry, Shiva struck off his head in anger.When he realised that this was Parvati's son, he promised to take the first head his servant could find, and it was the head of an elephant. The story is iconographically central, but it also has a deep symbolic meaning: Ganesha unites animal and god, intellect (the elephant counts as wise) and humility.\"}}]}<\/script>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ganesha, god of the Hindu tradition Ganesha is a god of the Hindu tradition. The elephant-headed god, remover of obstacles and lord of beginnings. Ganesha is one of the most beloved gods of Hinduism, not for his might but for his wisdom and humorous benevolence. With his massive elephant head, his ample, gentle body and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4215,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Ganesha","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Ganesha: God of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_angie_page":false,"gefaehrdungsstufe":"","wesen_kultur":"","wesen_klasse":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[79,86,90],"class_list":["post-4214","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultures","category-gods","category-hinduism"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v28.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ganesha: God of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ganesha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"iWell Guard\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-05T14:24:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ganesha: God of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-27T10:36:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-05T14:24:59+00:00\",\"description\":\"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":1536,\"caption\":\"Gods from the Hindu tradition.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Start\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/home\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Ganesha\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"iWell Guard\",\"description\":\"Schutz vor dunklen Einfl\u00fcssen\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ittermann electronic GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Ittermann-Logo-1182x237-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Ittermann-Logo-1182x237-1.png\",\"width\":1182,\"height\":237,\"caption\":\"Ittermann electronic GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/pantip.com\\\/profile\\\/9367242\",\"https:\\\/\\\/micro.blog\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.diggerslist.com\\\/iwellguard\\\/about\",\"https:\\\/\\\/skitterphoto.com\\\/photographers\\\/2870314\\\/iwell-guard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/iwellguard.wordpress.com\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/06\\\/iwell-guard\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/hub.docker.com\\\/u\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/iwellguard\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/bit.ly\\\/m\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/entre-vos-mains.alsace.eu\\\/profiles\\\/iwellguard\\\/activity\",\"https:\\\/\\\/gravatar.com\\\/reallybeded8fd34\",\"https:\\\/\\\/naijamatta.com\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goodreads.com\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/profile.hatena.ne.jp\\\/iwellguard\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/experiment.com\\\/users\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/wakelet.com\\\/@iWellGuard82270\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.chordie.com\\\/forum\\\/profile.php?id=2555664\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instapaper.com\\\/p\\\/17757966\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mapleprimes.com\\\/users\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/businesslistingplus.com\\\/profile\\\/iwell-guard\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/telegra.ph\\\/iWell-Guard-06-06\",\"https:\\\/\\\/pbase.com\\\/iwellguard\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/b.hatena.ne.jp\\\/iwellguard\\\/20260607#bookmark-4788405196491818882\",\"https:\\\/\\\/fliphtml5.com\\\/home\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/anyflip.com\\\/homepage\\\/cmiwl#About\",\"https:\\\/\\\/transfur.com\\\/Users\\\/iwellguard\",\"http:\\\/\\\/delphi.larsbo.org\\\/user\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/jobs.lajobsportal.org\\\/profiles\\\/8380803-iwell-guard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/md.chaosdorf.de\\\/s\\\/jfbe5SBdJD\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lingvolive.com\\\/en-us\\\/profile\\\/9ecaeaca-ce11-4e51-9e71-01d55e2bff36\\\/translations\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fitday.com\\\/fitness\\\/forums\\\/members\\\/iwellguard.html\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.mymeetbook.com\\\/iwellguard\",\"https:\\\/\\\/pxhere.com\\\/en\\\/photographer-me\\\/5040798\",\"https:\\\/\\\/disqus.com\\\/by\\\/iwellguard\\\/about\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/pastelink.net\\\/hjwciqwq\",\"https:\\\/\\\/pubhtml5.com\\\/homepage\\\/scjhn\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.bitchute.com\\\/channel\\\/2O2eOKzNqujT\",\"https:\\\/\\\/audiomack.com\\\/iwellguard\"]},{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ralf Ittermann\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ee2a27f1cac3406c7c6fb5820cb7349f\"},\"headline\":\"Ganesha\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-27T10:36:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-05T14:24:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3200,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/en\\\/ganesha\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/iwell-guard.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Cultures\",\"Gods\",\"Hinduism\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"description\":\"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ganesha: God of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles","description":"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Ganesha","og_description":"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects","og_url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/","og_site_name":"iWell Guard","article_modified_time":"2026-06-05T14:24:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":1536,"url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/"},"author":{"name":"Ralf Ittermann","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ee2a27f1cac3406c7c6fb5820cb7349f"},"headline":"Ganesha","datePublished":"2026-04-27T10:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-05T14:24:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/"},"wordCount":3200,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp","articleSection":["Cultures","Gods","Hinduism"],"inLanguage":"en-US","description":"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/","url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/","name":"Ganesha: God of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp","datePublished":"2026-04-27T10:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-05T14:24:59+00:00","description":"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp","width":1024,"height":1536,"caption":"Gods from the Hindu tradition."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Start","item":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/home\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ganesha"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/","name":"iWell Guard","description":"Schutz vor dunklen Einfl\u00fcssen","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Ittermann electronic GmbH","url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ittermann-Logo-1182x237-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Ittermann-Logo-1182x237-1.png","width":1182,"height":237,"caption":"Ittermann electronic GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/pantip.com\/profile\/9367242","https:\/\/micro.blog\/iwellguard","https:\/\/www.diggerslist.com\/iwellguard\/about","https:\/\/skitterphoto.com\/photographers\/2870314\/iwell-guard","https:\/\/iwellguard.wordpress.com\/2026\/06\/06\/iwell-guard\/","https:\/\/hub.docker.com\/u\/iwellguard","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/iwellguard\/","https:\/\/bit.ly\/m\/iwellguard","https:\/\/entre-vos-mains.alsace.eu\/profiles\/iwellguard\/activity","https:\/\/gravatar.com\/reallybeded8fd34","https:\/\/naijamatta.com\/iwellguard","https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/iwellguard","https:\/\/profile.hatena.ne.jp\/iwellguard\/","https:\/\/experiment.com\/users\/iwellguard","https:\/\/wakelet.com\/@iWellGuard82270","https:\/\/www.chordie.com\/forum\/profile.php?id=2555664","https:\/\/www.instapaper.com\/p\/17757966","https:\/\/www.mapleprimes.com\/users\/iwellguard","https:\/\/businesslistingplus.com\/profile\/iwell-guard\/","https:\/\/telegra.ph\/iWell-Guard-06-06","https:\/\/pbase.com\/iwellguard\/iwellguard","https:\/\/b.hatena.ne.jp\/iwellguard\/20260607#bookmark-4788405196491818882","https:\/\/fliphtml5.com\/home\/iwellguard","https:\/\/anyflip.com\/homepage\/cmiwl#About","https:\/\/transfur.com\/Users\/iwellguard","http:\/\/delphi.larsbo.org\/user\/iwellguard","https:\/\/jobs.lajobsportal.org\/profiles\/8380803-iwell-guard","https:\/\/md.chaosdorf.de\/s\/jfbe5SBdJD","https:\/\/www.lingvolive.com\/en-us\/profile\/9ecaeaca-ce11-4e51-9e71-01d55e2bff36\/translations","https:\/\/www.fitday.com\/fitness\/forums\/members\/iwellguard.html","https:\/\/www.mymeetbook.com\/iwellguard","https:\/\/pxhere.com\/en\/photographer-me\/5040798","https:\/\/disqus.com\/by\/iwellguard\/about\/","https:\/\/pastelink.net\/hjwciqwq","https:\/\/pubhtml5.com\/homepage\/scjhn\/","https:\/\/www.bitchute.com\/channel\/2O2eOKzNqujT","https:\/\/audiomack.com\/iwellguard"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ee2a27f1cac3406c7c6fb5820cb7349f","name":"Ralf Ittermann","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/073c0153e350a5005b68eb752b445fea71f6b24a26da9449ad7e155e6b446c9d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/073c0153e350a5005b68eb752b445fea71f6b24a26da9449ad7e155e6b446c9d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/073c0153e350a5005b68eb752b445fea71f6b24a26da9449ad7e155e6b446c9d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ralf Ittermann"},"givenName":"Ralf","familyName":"Ittermann","jobTitle":"Gesch\u00e4ftsf\u00fchrer und redaktioneller Verantwortlicher","url":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/author\/claude\/","description":"Ralf Ittermann ist Gesch\u00e4ftsf\u00fchrer der Ittermann electronic GmbH und redaktioneller Verantwortlicher des iWell-Guard-Lexikons. Er verbindet langj\u00e4hrige Erfahrung in der Pr\u00e4zisionsfertigung mit medialer Praxis und religionsgeschichtlicher Quellenarbeit.","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Ittermann electronic GmbH","url":"https:\/\/ittermann.de\/","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"K\u00f6hlergasse 16-18","postalCode":"99842","addressLocality":"Ruhla","addressCountry":"DE"}},"knowsAbout":["Religionsgeschichte","Mythologie","Mediale Praxis","Energetische Diagnostik","Schutzpraxis","Volksglauben","Westliche Esoterik"]},{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/"},"author":{"name":"Ralf Ittermann","@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ee2a27f1cac3406c7c6fb5820cb7349f"},"headline":"Ganesha","datePublished":"2026-04-27T10:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-05T14:24:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/"},"wordCount":3200,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/ganesha\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_ganesha.webp","articleSection":["Cultures","Gods","Hinduism"],"inLanguage":"en-US","description":"Ganesha, god of beginnings and remover of obstacles. Mooshika the mouse-mount, Ganesh Chaturthi, protector of new projects"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4214","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4214"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4214\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}