The story
In the best-known version Parvati shapes Ganesha from clay to guard her door; Shiva, not knowing him, beheads him when he blocks the way, then restores him with an elephant’s head. Other accounts have him born of Shiva’s laughter, or of the elephant-headed goddess Malini.1
Where to go next
AI-created illustrationSources
- Encyclopedia Ganesha — Wikipedia · accessed 2026-11-08
Researched 2026-11-08 from the cited sources. Community corrections are welcome; traditions differ, and differences are shown rather than resolved.