Is it the elephant-head? The potbelly? Or the complete absence of angularity? Perhaps it’s Ganesha’s fascinating combination of these varied elements that’s inspired generations of artists and sculptors. As the one-tusked, elephant-faced and pot-bellied god, Ganesha is an artistic phenomenon, more so than any other god from the Hindu pantheon.
There’s a flexibility about this lovable deity that allows artists a free hand in expressing their creativity. Down the ages, Ganesha has lounged, reclined, danced, played, fought or sat regally in temple carvings, paintings and frescoes. Artists have never taken this liberty with any other Hindu God.
The one-tusked incarnation is one of the earliest images to appear in Ganesha iconography. In profile, this version shows Ganesha’s single, whole tusk. One hand holds the other – broken – tusk, while yet another holds a sweetmeat (or a whole bowl of them!). Two more arms hold a goad or axe and the noose with which he keeps our earthly obstacles at bay. Often, a modern interpretation of this form abandons the broken tusk and is replaced instead by his hand facing the viewer, to indicate his loving protection and blessings. This is a gesture from Indian classical dance, indicating fearlessness.
While four arms are the norm even in modern representations, it’s really up to the artists to increase their number depending on the attributes they wish to depict – ninth and tenth century images from Central India have as many as twenty arms!
Ganesha’s large belly is one of his most important features. At a human level, the belly indicates his legendary love for sweets. At a more metaphysical level, the pot belly’s vast expanse is a reference to the eternal universe shown as contained within Ganesha.
To the layman’s eye, there may not be significant differences between images of Ganesha found around the country. A closer look though reveals subtle variations. Ganesha paintings found in southern India, for instance, are heavily influenced by the style of one of India’s most famous artists of yore, Raja Ravi Varma – an enduring art form that’s known as ‘calendar art.’ While red and yellow are the colors most commonly associated with Ganesha, you’ll find south Indian paintings of Ganesha featuring blues and pinks. His visage may also have softer contours than the images from further up north, which look more regal.
Ganesha is also worshipped in Mahayana Buddhism, where he is often represented as a Dancing Ganesha. While the seated form of Ganesha is preferred for worship, the dance form, sculpted in bronze or sandalwood, has become hugely popular as an objet d’art for its grace and exquisite sense of proportion.
The sheer versatility of Ganesha as an art form finds myriad expressions in modern art. From around the later years of the twentieth century, Ganesha has invaded art galleries in metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, with exhibitions solely dedicated to displaying his many avatars and moods. Whether sculpted in brass, silver, bronze, terracotta, stone and ivory, or in painting styles ranging from Tanjore art (a south Indian classical style), to abstract modernism. Ganesha has pervaded the realm of all art. He’s also something of a hobbyist’s delight, with collectors avidly snapping up every new avatar in which he gets represented.
So what are you waiting for? Grab a paintbrush or a handful of clay – and let Ganesha bring out the artist in you or acquire an artform or two for your collection!
Pictured above are Ganesh Cavas from Ganesh Mall
