Ganesha 2010

Blackmarket042010

The image of the elephant god painted

on the exterior facade of the store

"The Black Market" is a depiction

of the Hindu god Ganesha.

One of the most popular of

the Hindu deities he is worshipped

across sects in India.

He is considered the god of success

or "remover of obstacles". He is also

associated with wisdom, knowledge

and learning.

He has an elephantine head,

four arms, and a pot belly.

He rides the humble mouse.

The son of Shiva and Parvati

he came into being as follows:

One day Parvati was taking a bath.

She created a son to guard her
in the house. When her husband

Shiva returned he was stopped

by the son. Enraged Shiva shore

off his head. Parvati was grief-stricken

and to appease her Shiva asked his army

to find a creature facing north. The

army brought back the head of an elephant.

Shiva attached the elephantine head

to his son's body and created Ganesha

who returned to life. Shiva made him

the leader of his troops and a deity to be

worshipped in his own right.

Ganesha is worshipped in a ten day

festival titled Ganesh Charturthi

and his image can be found in many

Hindu households.

Helen.