The Book of Ganesha (Indian Gods and Goddesses)

Part of a series on Indian gods and goddesses

Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, is easily the most recognizable and loveable of Hindu deities. But pinpointing his various attributes is not quite so simple. He is at once the portly, merry, childlike god and the sage, complex philosopher. He is the presiding deity of material wealth and the lord of spirituality. He removes all impediments for his devotees but creates all manner of difficulties for the transgressors, man or god. And associated with every aspect of Ganesha -- be it his extraordinary birth, his elephant head, his broken tusk, his vehicle (the mouse), his appetite, his anger -- are scores of myths, each more colorful than the other.