The image of the seated Lord Ganesha in the Tanjore idiom. The son of Shiva and Parvati, a widely adored baala-deva (boy-deity), is seated on a studded throne of solid gold. Behind the chaturbhujadhari deity rises the velvet-upholstered backrest hemmed in with gold. The same is studded with concentric rows of red and green stones which resemble rubies and emeralds, respectively. Ganesha is dressed

The ashtabhujadhari Lord Ganesha, the one possessed of (‘dhari’) eight (‘ashta’) arms (‘bhuja’), stands on His short, chubby child’s legs. His adorable elephant head is turned sideways, revealing the lateral profile of His face to view. But for the gold predominating this Tanjore painting, it is a bitone composition in pale pink (the complexion of His form) and scarlet (the solid-col

Ganesha's timeless appeal has been captured to perfection in this watercolor by artist Tulsi Das Vimbark. From the chubby limbs in their usual stance to the characteristic pot-belly of the indulgent laddoo-lover, this painting inspires a world of affection in the heart of the devotee. Note the soft glow of the skin, the effulgence of the elephant countenance. The golden halo that graces the h

Lord Ganesha is a baal-deva, a child (baal) of the divine order of the devas. He is an integral part of Shiva-parivar and the Devi Durga offspring retinue in devotional art; and when portrayed alone, He is the scribe of the Mahabharata and/or the very picture of traditional opulence. The oil painting you see on this page is a singular depiction of the Lord. Quiet, gathered, solitary - such is His

Perfect shades of vibrant colors and the sharp beauty of lord Ganesha, who stands in his nritya (dance) posture on a high pedestal decorated with lotus petals at the top and two multi-wick diyas of devotion on either side, majorly enhance picturesque aspects of this oil painting. The oval aureole bordered with full-grown multicolored flowers enhances the auspiciousness of this elephant god; garbed

Lord Ganesh is one of Hinduism’s most prominent deities. He is the god of new beginnings and the lord who removes obstacles. Because of these, he is often invoked at the beginning of prayers or rituals, or when believers are set to undergo a major milestone and before making life decisions. He is traditionally depicted with an elephant head, often large in the proportion which signifies knowledg

A supreme master of all knowledge, intelligence and wisdom, as can be analysed from his name Ganapati, where ‘Ga’ means buddhi (intelligence), ‘Na’ means vijnana (wisdom) and ‘Pati’ means master. His benevolence allows him to be honoured as the first among the celestials before the commencement of any auspicious ceremony for enlightening it to a successful finish without any obstru

A visual fusion of the twin aspects of Ganesha as dancer and warrior. The son of Shiva inherits not just the tandava of Nataraja, but also His all-annihilating aspect. In the pattachitra that you see on this page, the elephant-deity is possessed of eight arms (He is dashabhujadhari), wielding weapons and other Shaivite implements. The legs and torso, however, are in the dramatic tribhanga stance,

Lord Ganesha's nature is to shower fortune and bliss wherever he is worshipped and here also he is holding a traditional lamp via chain by his twisted trunk. Well, in this illustration, Shri Ganesha's sweet face represents all the attributes of his personality, such as; his smartness, cuteness, attentiveness, childish expressions along with the lotus eyes, all these features are filled i

The mukhamandala (countenance) of Lord Ganesha emerges straight from a resplendent sun. A circular row of the Devanagari inscription of aum, a sacred life-affirming syllable, forms a halo around His head. In fact the sun itself is the halo of Lord Ganesha but, unlike other haloed sculptures in Indian iconography, this one does not comprise a discrete circular diskette at the back of the deity’s

Beneath a Kirtimukham prabhavali (aureole), stands the gentle Lord Ganesha. The superb proportions of Kirtimukham contrast sharply with the chubby child’s form of the standing Ganesha idol. So does the diametric variation in the expressions - the former is a paragon of all-consuming ferocity, while the latter is widely worshipped for its childlike gentleness. The Lord Ganesha statue that you see

The work of art you see on this page is a powerful confluence. It is a fusion of the innocence and wisdom of Lord Ganesha with the strength and prowess of Lord Hanuman. The former has the gigantic head of the gentle elephant, the latter the protruding jaw of the clever monkey. A fine blend of the two makes for composition so unusual, that it would be a one-of-a-kind addition to any private space o

This exceptionally ornate brass statue is an example of highly balanced anatomy with delightfully distributed right and left – a strange symmetry with the center unable to contain its line and mincing to the figure’s overall rhythm: the navel and abdomen tilting to the left, and the little inflated right breast, to further right, represents Lord Ganesha in a posture as if commanding and assuri

This brass image of Ganapati, small in size but immeasurable in its magnificence and grandeur, defines his Vira Ganapati – the ‘valiant warrior’ form, one of his initial thirty-four classical forms which early texts, the eighth century Maudgalya Purana in special, have identified or conceived. Though exceptionally beautiful and endowed with divine aura, Vira Ganapati, primarily a votive form

A standing Ganesha is one of the most rarely seen postures of Ganesha sculptures. Here he stands diligently on a thick pedestal having a green grassy platform with the mouse towards his left foot, busy eating modak. This sculpture is chiseled out of a single piece of white translucent marble that allows light to enter and produce a soft glow while retaining its high polish. Have a look at the beau

Chaturbhuja Ganesha stands in a dancing position with his right leg upwards placed on a thin stand. Postured on a round platform located on a squared stand with a pedestal below and comprises of a small mouse illustration. This holy brass structure also holds important cultural as well as traditional attributes. While holding his divine implements, Ganesha wears an adorably crafted crown, holding

The panchamukha-roopa is common to many deities in the Hindu pantheon. The word ‘panchamukha’ is a portmanteau of ‘pancha’, which means five, and ‘mukha’, which means face. The murti that you see on this page is of the Panchamukha Vinayaka (another name for Ganesha). Each of the five faces stands for the yogic koshas or layers of existence. It is a murti of Vengai wood, derived from a

The image of the gently reclining Ganesha wooden statue endears Him to us all. The chubby, elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati is widely revered for His childlike appeal. The twin qualities of innocence and wisdom pour forth from His every iconography, including and especially the one that you see on this page. On a bed of lotus petals of varying colors, reclines the Lord. A bolster under His

On the pistil of an upturned lotus, pedestal stands the steady chaturbhujadhari (four-armed) Ganesha, poised on a quadrilateral plinth engraved with lotus petals. The vertical structures on either side of the same are designed to be wound around with a rope in order to maneuver the sculpture. This Ganesha composition is a panchaloha murti from Swamimalai. Panchaloha refers to a blend of five (‘p

Lord Ganapati is hailed as the chief of the celestial hosts and his various prayers recorded in Vedic texts invoke him as the Law of the laws, Seer of the seers and Principal of the principals. This tiger eye sculpture of Ganesha is an entirely unique artifact to decorate your surroundings in the beauty of its creativity and the dazzling effect it reflects on being exposed to bright light.

Ganesha, the god of beginnings is honored at the start of rites and ceremonies. He Is the remover of obstacles and symbolizes wisdom, truth, and intellect. This precious 24 karat gold gilded wall hanging of Trinetra Ganesha is very precisely and delicately formed, keeping all the identifiable features underlined. The deeply carved eyes represent the importance of focusing on the target works and t

It is not just His childlike innocence that makes Ganesha one of the most popular deities of the Indian pantheon. The adorable form of a chubby little boy, His generosity with blessings and boons, and that unfailing love of laddoos - so much so that His iconography is incomplete without a bunch of the delectable Indian sweetmeat in the picture - endear Him to His devotees. The fateful Samudra-Mant

The exquisitely carved object depicts Ganesa as a musician; playing the shehnai, engaged in a pleasant mood. Music is one of the important branches of ancient Indian culture. Early Indian sages and musicians were well aware of the science of music; therefore, their endeavors paved way for the invention and composition of different ragas and raginis of Indian classical music. Instrumental music

This large bellied and elephant faced, Lord Ganesha holds the power to remove all obstacles to have a fruitful and healthy life. Ganesha was given a boon, that he would be worshipped as the primary deity before the start of any auspicious event, which is consciously or unconsciously done by the whole mankind. This large Ganesha brass sculpture is a super fine piece of beauty because of its large s

The art historian Partha Mitter, when writing his oft-cited masterpiece ‘Many Maligned Monsters,’ explained that European and Victorian sensibilities wrongly assumed the significance of Indian art – when they came across depictions of four or eight-armed gods and goddesses, often in striking and fierce moments vanquishing demons, Westerners thought that we had an underdeveloped sense of real