Facts about Ganesha

1. 11

   Siddhivinayaka, one of Ganesha's eight primary manifestations worshipped across Maharashtra, is believed to fulfill the wishes of his devotees within 40 days of sincere worship according to regional Hindu tradition.

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2. 10

   Red vermillion powder, called sindoor, is traditionally applied to Ganesha's idol during worship rituals, symbolizing auspiciousness and divine energy in Hindu practice.

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3. 09

   Worship of Ganesha independently became prominent around the 10th century CE, marking a shift from his earlier role as a minor deity attending Shiva to becoming a primary focus of devotional practice across Hindu temples.

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4. 08

   Ganesha's mouse vahana, or vehicle, represents ego and desire, symbolizing his spiritual mastery over the very forces that obstruct human progress in Hindu philosophy.

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5. 07

   Ganesha's large belly symbolizes the cosmos and his ability to contain and digest all of creation within himself according to Hindu philosophical interpretations.

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6. 06

   Ganesha's name derives from Sanskrit roots meaning 'lord of the ganas,' referring to the 30 celestial attendants or armies that serve Shiva in Hindu cosmology.

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7. 05

   Four primary roles—remover of obstacles, patron of arts and sciences, lord of beginnings, and guardian of thresholds—define Ganesha's multifaceted divine responsibilities across Hindu practice.

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8. 04

   Ganesha's modak, a sweet rice dumpling filled with jaggery and coconut, is his traditional favorite offering, mentioned specifically in multiple Hindu devotional texts as his preferred bhog.

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9. 03

   Ganesha's broken tusk appears in mythology as a result of deflecting a weapon during the Mahabharata war, explaining why he is depicted with only one intact tusk in most Hindu iconography.

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10. 02

    In Hindu tradition, Ganesha is worshipped on Ganesh Chaturthi, an 11-day festival celebrated annually in August or September across India with millions of clay idol installations.

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11. 01

    The elephant-headed deity Ganesha appears in over 200 Sanskrit texts dating back to at least the 5th century CE in Hindu literature.

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