Ganesha, or Ganapati, the lord of all Ganas (supernatural beings that are considered to be Lord Shiva’s army) is worshipped as the one who removes all obstacles and paves the path for success. This has given him another name, Vigneshwara.
The Puranas state that Ganesha was made out of dirt by his mother, Parvati. One day, Lord Shiva came back after completing his yoga practice. The as the little boy was guarding the house. He denied Lord Shiva entry from his own home and earned his wrath, who was promptly beheaded. Parvati was furious about this and asked Shiva to make amends. Shiva, realising his mistake replaced his head with that of an elephant. This gave him the name Gajanana. This might sound like a story but when applied at a higher level of thought, it symbolizes the delicate interplay of the physical form and the ego.
Ganesha is often depicted with a bowl of Modakas in his hand signifying his liking of sweets. He often holds a broken tusk, an axe and has a serpent coiled round his rotund belly. Various stories surround these depictions. In this picture, he is depicted as Nartana Ganesha or dancing Ganesha. This signifies happiness and ecstasy. Being the remover of obstacles, many stage performances and good deeds start with an invocation to him. Nartana Ganesha also signifies the importance he is bestowed with; particularly when performing anything associated with art and artistic skills.
Contribution by: Leela Gopinath