Stela, Ganesha

Ganesha, the subject of this nineteenth-century granite stela, is one of the most popular deities of the Indian religion Hinduism. The maker of this free-standing carved stone monument, or stela, is unknown, and Te Papa has little information about the statue's acquisition.

Ganesha
Ganesha, with his elephant's head, portly human body, and four arms is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Durga being the other four). He is the god of success and the destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also the god of education, knowledge, wisdom, and wealth. He is called upon at the beginning of every undertaking, whether it is a journey, the building of a house, or the writing of a book or even a letter.

How Ganesha got his head
Many versions of Ganesha's story exist. One account is that the goddess Parvati needed a guard while she was bathing so she created a man from the mud on her body, and assigned him to protect her. When her husband Shiva returned he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access and struck off the man's head in rage. Parvati broke down in grief, and to soothe her Shiva sent out his messengers to fetch the head of any being that was sleeping with its head facing north. The messengers only found an elephant sleeping in that position, and brought back its severed head. Shiva attached the elephant's head to the body of the guard and restored his life, thereby creating Ganesha.

Shiva also bestowed a blessing that people would worship Ganesha and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.