Ganesh's family

[tikific]

I've been going writing a bit of backstory on Ganesh recently, so I've been poking around the Google for pretty pictures. I've seen many images of the individual Hindu gods, but I hadn't seen a lot of imagery of Shiva and Parvati with little Ganesh before.





This isn't exactly how I've pictured them, but I kinda like it. They look like they're just hanging, maybe gonna watch some Corazon de Azul on TV (Parvati's even got a snack tray!).

Comments

[tikific]

ACTUALLY, Ganesha is supposed to be pot-bellied, even as an adult! I think it's supposed to symbolize prosperity.

[nugatorytm]

Makes sense. Who ever heard of a thin elephant?

[tikific]

Hee, true!

It's interesting, I distinctly remember seeing statuary of the Hindu gods when I was a kid at the local museum, and everybody looked like a dancer - very lithe and sexy. So that's how I pictured Ganesh and his family. But now that I'm seeing paintings, everybody looks rather ... well fed! I mean, not just Ganesha!

[nugatorytm]

Hmm, perhaps the statuary was done by people unfamiliar with the Hindu gods and assumed that divine beings wouldn't be pudgy?

[tikific]

It's pretty typical. Here's a temple called Khajuraho in India:



Though I guess the deal is these are not supposed to be gods, they're humans.

[nugatorytm]

Hoo boy, these humans seem to be having some Kama Sutra fun in that middle column. ;)

[tikific]

Yes, that's exactly what it is! I guess the concept is that the gods INSIDE the temple have given all that up, so it's up to the humans outside to frolic? Or, something. :D

I dunno, if we ever do our long-planned trip to India, I'm gonna insist Gus take me to this place, because it looks crazy.

[nugatorytm]

The only other place I know of in India is that Temple of the Rats.

Now THAT'S crazy.

[tikific]

Oh, I've seen that! I think Tony Bourdain went there!

[nugatorytm]

I hope he didn't drink the milk that's left for the rats...