A Lucky Find
By Kristina Braga
While combing the beach one day, I came across one of my most treasured finds. Washed ashore was a preciousidol, referred to as “Ganesha” or “Ganesh.” This elephant-headed Hindu god took me by surprise, as my friend exclaimed, “You found a Ganesh!” At the time, I didn’t even know what it was. I wondered:What does this man with an elephant head signify and how did he get here?However, after researching this unique find, I learned that Ganesha is the best-known and most worshiped Hindu deity. To be clear: I am not an expert on Hindu deities, but I will share with you the results of my research.
To answer my first question, the backstory of Ganesha’s creation is quite interesting. Story has it that the Goddess Parvati wanted privacy while she bathed in her home. She wanted someone loyal to her to guard the main gates and not let anyone enter until she had finished bathing. Parvati took some turmeric paste and created a human form out of it. She then breathed life into this human form and a boy was born. Parvati accepted the boy as her own son and instructed him to guard the gates. When Parvati’s husband, Lord Shiva, returned home and tried to enter, he was barred by his wife’s creation. Shiva was unaware of the true identity of the boy and became angry when he was unable to pass. In a fit of anger, Shiva beheaded the boy and entered the palace.
Vijayanagar period bronze sculpture of the Hindu gods Shiva, Parvati, and son Ganesha. (Santhosh Varghese/Shutterstock.com).
Fearing Parvati’s wrath, Shiva immediately regretted what he had done and told Parvati that he would bring the boy back to life. But the impact of his spear was so forceful that it was impossible to join the boy’s severed head to his body. Shiva ordered his sacred bull, Nandi, to go out and bring back the head of the first creature he found. Nandi returned with the head of an elephant calf with one tusk. Shiva then placed the elephant head on the boy and brought him back to life. Shiva recognized the boy as his own son and named him “Ganesha.”
The gods blessed Ganesha, stating that he would be worshiped before anyone else at the beginning of any ritual. The gods also blessed Ganesha to be a master of intellect and wisdom. The story of Ganesha is one of rebirth and regeneration. He is the god of wisdom, knowledge, and new beginnings. The tradition of invoking and seeking Ganesha’s blessings before that of any other god continues even today.
So, this brings me to my second question of how he came to be washed ashore. Ganesha Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the rebirth of the Lord Ganesha and is practiced on the anniversary of the day Ganesha was revived in his elephant-headed form. He is worshiped for ten days every year to invoke his blessings and then is immersed in a body of water so that he may return to his parents in heaven. The festival is usually toward the end of August to September and is observed throughout India.
It is believed that when Lord Ganesha visits the home of his devotees, he brings good luck and fortune to them. He gives them strength to move forward in life and removes any obstacles that might arise in their path to success. During his ten days on earth, Ganesha relieves his disciples from pain, worry, agony, and other problems.
There are three directions in which Ganesha’s trunk curls: left, straight, and right. The trunk to the left side is most common, while straight is the rarest. Ganesha with the trunk to the right is mostly found in temples, while the trunk to the left is more for home worship. Ganesha idols with the left trunk bring feminine energy of nourishment, peace, and relaxation to homes. They also have healing abilities and mend health and relationships. A sitting posture implies Ganesha is here to stay. The right trunk signifies masculinity and freedom from worldly pleasures. The rarest straight trunk signifies that one is in a balanced state, emotionally and physically. The Ganesha I found has a left trunk and was most likely worshiped in someone’s home before being immersed in the sea.
Some of the Ganesha statues are made from plaster of Paris, which does not disintegrate, but many of the idols are now biodegradable. There seems to be a differing opinion as to whether removing a Ganesha from its resting place is bad luck. I’m among those people who believe that once Ganesha has been immersed in the water, he has served his purpose, and thus it is acceptable, perhaps even auspicious, to take him with you. This is why Ganesha and his rich history holds a prominent place among my beachcombing finds.
This article appeared in Beachcombing Magazine Volume 41 March/April 2024.
