Gaea: Lord of Obstacles Lord of Beginnings

About this book

Part animal and part intellectual an image found in virtually every Indian home Ganea--the elephant-headed god--is one of the most important and popular gods throughout India and Hindu Southeast Asia. In this the first comprehensive full-length study of Ganea Courtright covers not merely the mythology but also the ritual the political uses and the modern as well as the Vedic manifestations of the god. The book begins with a consideration of the various myths of Ganea stories of his birth his beheading by his father Siva and his subsequent restoration as the lord who gives or withholds success in undertakings. In the end the author turns to the role Ganesa has played in recent Indian history as the patron deity of some formulations of neotraditionalist values and ideology. Throughout Courtright portrays both the complexity of the deitys many roles and stories and the integrated manner in which they come together. Excerpt from the Preface by Wendy OFlaherty: "Ganea has everything that is fascinating to anyone who is interested in religion or India or both: charm mystery popularity sexual problems moral ambivalence political importance the works. One can start from Ganea and work from there in an unbroken line to almost any aspect of Indian culture."