{"product_id":"gaea-lord-of-obstacles-lord-of-beginnings-9780195035728","title":"Gaea: Lord of Obstacles  Lord of Beginnings","description":"\u003cp\u003ePart 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.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45276037513269,"sku":"ByrdShop_0195035720","price":240.39,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780195035728.jpg?v=1780522236","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/gaea-lord-of-obstacles-lord-of-beginnings-9780195035728","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}