17th century

Ganesha Dancing

Shiva's elephant-headed son, Ganesha, is perhaps the most widely worshipped Hindu god, for he is the source of all success for ordinary people. As the God of Auspicious Beginnings, he has the power to put obstacles in the way-or to remove them-and thus is invoked at the beginning of every new undertaking. The image of Ganesha dancing conveys the joyous wisdom that he embodies, the knowledge that humans are one with the divine. His body sways in a triple bend to an unheard rhythm, and his dance reverberates throughout the universe.