South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c9.s17.2

c9.s17.2

² One of the popular stories explaining how Ganapati came to have the elephant’s head is as follows: Once upon a time when Pārvatī went to bathe, she made a figure of the turmeric which had been smeared over her body, gave it life and limbs and appointed it to keep watch at the door. Siva came to see Pārvatī but was stopped at the door by the newly created guard. Siva in anger cut off the head of the figure. The goddess entreated him to revive her child. He agreed and said that the head of any living body sleeping with the head placed northward might be severed at once and placed on the trunk of the turmeric figure. An elephant was found sleeping in the way described. Its head was accordingly cut