Ganesha's Influence In Hinduism

Hinduism is a major world religion that is still influential in major parts of the world, such as India, Shri Lanka, and much of East Asia. Many of its deities have had an influence on the way of life of its followers. One of these deities, Ganesha, has influenced the way Hindus go about taking on new challenges and enterprises. Although Ganesha is best known as being the primary Hindu god of good fortune, he has also had a great mythological influence on modern day society and has exemplified, through Hindu culture how nature controls life.
Ganesha was born to Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, and his wife Parvati, he Hindu goddess of fertility and love.(Wickerman). It is said that Ganesha was not born naturally, but instead he was made
He has a very significant in art, literature, and culture, and he is sometimes shown dancing in Hindu society. He is also on food and incense throughout India and Shri Lanka, and he is located in millions of homes around the world in the form of statues. He also decorates currency all over Indonesia and Eastern Europe where he is a religious icon in both Buddhism and Hinduism. ("UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology." 424). Ganesha has also come up in many sacred Hindu scriptures and texts including many Puranas, or scared stories made to tell the origin of Hindu deities and the creation and destruction of the universe. ("Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices."409). In Hindu society Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, is often invoked before partaking in any task or new enterprise no matter how big or small. In fact pictures of Ganesha decorate the entrances of businesses, letterheads, and on invitations to most events.(Kindersley 467). Ganesha is also seen as a facilitator of wisdom through Hindu religion and he and his wives ,the goddesses of success and wisdom, are often prayed to for guidance over new endeavors or for advice about almost anything. ("Encyclopedia of India,"129). In Hindu tradition no ritual whether spiritual, family, birth, or death is too big not to pray to him. ("Ganesha, the treasure trove of Guana and Vidya."). Ganesha even has his own sacred places and holidays. The nine scared places to
Ganesha's origin as a Hindu deity and the significance of his elephant head can be traced back to the worship of elephants in Hindu society. Elephants are seen as some of the smartest animals in the world and as creatures of incredible strength. In ancient a Hindu society elephants were praised for there ability to uproot trees and haul things around for people. Elephants were also seen as extremely peaceful, passive, and viewed as nonthreatening to society, and they were worshipped for there amazing memory. These reasons for the praise and worship as an important animal in Hindu society is most likely why the incorporated him into one of there most important deities. A deity who incorporates many of the characteristics of how elephants were perceived in Hindu society. ("UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology." 423). Furthermore, besides being known as a remover of obstacles and a god of wisdom and knowledge, Ganesha is also known to preside of the natural world and to be a preserver of the nature. He even has a festival in Mumbai from September ninth to fifteenth celebrating his role in the natural world. ("Your favorite eco-Ganesha comes back with a bang."). During festivals to Ganesha his role in nature is considered through meditation on the five elements, fire, water, earth, wind, and ether. Even his offerings during his festivals are completely in