setbabiesonfire:

meghanmoon:

I see people reblog Ganesh all of the time and I’m just going to give a brief description of the story of Ganesh.

Ganesh is a Hindu god and is known as the gate keeper.
This is because while Lord Shiva was away to war his wife Pavarti wished to bathe. Having no one to guard the door she created a son, Ganesh, who would do this duty for her. 
Ganesh was to give nobody entrance to Pavarti’s apartment unless she gave him the okay to let them in. This posed a problem when Lord Shiva returned from war and tried to enter. Not having the approval from Pavarti, Ganesh refused him access.

Shiva was enraged by Ganesh’s impudence and used his sword to cut off Ganesh’s head.

Once Pavarti emerged and saw Ganesh was beheaded, she flew into a rage. Shiva swore to make amends by taking the head of the first living thing he found to replace Ganesh’s head. The first animal he came across was an elephant.

Accordingly he took the head from the elephant an placed it on Ganesh’s body.

This is why Ganesh is depicted with an elephant’s head. Also, because of his role as protector of Parvarti’s door he is associated, in Hindu culture, with protecting entrances.

I just like the art.