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Why do Hindus pray to Ganesha? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Why do Hindus pray to Ganesha? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

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Why do Hindus pray to Ganesha? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

| Ganesha is a Hindu god who loves to dance. His name means "Lord of the Ganas" (GAH-nahz)- small, mischievous dwarfs with round bellies who serve Ganesha and his famous father, Shiva (SHE-vah or SHIH-vah). Shiva is one of the three great male gods of Hinduism (HIN-doo-ism). Today, Ganesha is worshipped widely by people of different faiths throughout India, Southeast Asia, and around the world. Also called the Lord of Beginnings and the Lord of Obstacles, Ganesha can create challenges, but even more, he can remove them or help people overcome them. People pray to Ganesha to bring them good luck, especially when starting something-such as a journey, a business, a marriage, or a new year-or when facing something difficult, like taking an exam or performing a dance. Ganesha is also known both as the Lord of the Harvest and the Lord of Learning and the Arts. His large elephant's head symbolizes strength and wisdom. Indian rulers used elephants to win wars, build palaces, and show off their wealth in royal ceremonies. Ancient Indian poets compared elephants spraying water from their trunks to rumbling rain clouds. People today value elephants for their cooperative nature. In the wild they live in family groups headed by females and help one another when calves are born or when a group member is in danger. They also work hard for people to remove trees and do other construction work. There are many stories about why Ganesha has an elephant's head. One explains how Ganesha's mother, the goddess Parvati (PARH-vah-tee), created him to keep her company while her husband, Shiva, was away from home. She formed Ganesha using clay from the riverbank or, some stories say, a skin softener made of tumeric (a yellow spice) that she scraped off her body. Parvati used her goddess powers to bring her son to life and was so delighted with him that she kept him always by her side. One day before her bath, she asked Ganesha to guard the doorway. When Shiva arrived home unexpectedly, he heard his wife in her bath and found a young stranger who would not let him in. Shiva became so angry that he cut off Ganesha's head in a fit of rage! When Parvati heard all the commotion, she ran out to find that her son was dead. She explained to Shiva who Ganesha was, and Shiva promised that he would bring the boy back to life with the head of the next creature that came along-which happened to be an elephant! Parvati was happy and Shiva rewarded Ganesha by making him the leader of his army of ganas. Images of Ganesha have been placed above doorways ever since. Dancing Ganesha This text and image are provided courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Transcribed Image Text:| Ganesha is a Hindu god who loves to dance. His name means "Lord of the Ganas" (GAH-nahz)- small, mischievous dwarfs with round bellies who serve Ganesha and his famous father, Shiva (SHE-vah or SHIH-vah). Shiva is one of the three great male gods of Hinduism (HIN-doo-ism). Today, Ganesha is worshipped widely by people of different faiths throughout India, Southeast Asia, and around the world. Also called the Lord of Beginnings and the Lord of Obstacles, Ganesha can create challenges, but even more, he can remove them or help people overcome them. People pray to Ganesha to bring them good luck, especially when starting something-such as a journey, a business, a marriage, or a new year-or when facing something difficult, like taking an exam or performing a dance. Ganesha is also known both as the Lord of the Harvest and the Lord of Learning and the Arts. His large elephant's head symbolizes strength and wisdom. Indian rulers used elephants to win wars, build palaces, and show off their wealth in royal ceremonies. Ancient Indian poets compared elephants spraying water from their trunks to rumbling rain clouds. People today value elephants for their cooperative nature. In the wild they live in family groups headed by females and help one another when calves are born or when a group member is in danger. They also work hard for people to remove trees and do other construction work. There are many stories about why Ganesha has an elephant's head. One explains how Ganesha's mother, the goddess Parvati (PARH-vah-tee), created him to keep her company while her husband, Shiva, was away from home. She formed Ganesha using clay from the riverbank or, some stories say, a skin softener made of tumeric (a yellow spice) that she scraped off her body. Parvati used her goddess powers to bring her son to life and was so delighted with him that she kept him always by her side. One day before her bath, she asked Ganesha to guard the doorway. When Shiva arrived home unexpectedly, he heard his wife in her bath and found a young stranger who would not let him in. Shiva became so angry that he cut off Ganesha's head in a fit of rage! When Parvati heard all the commotion, she ran out to find that her son was dead. She explained to Shiva who Ganesha was, and Shiva promised that he would bring the boy back to life with the head of the next creature that came along-which happened to be an elephant! Parvati was happy and Shiva rewarded Ganesha by making him the leader of his army of ganas. Images of Ganesha have been placed above doorways ever since. Dancing Ganesha This text and image are provided courtesy of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
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