Ganesha (also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh) is one
of the best-known and most worshipped deities
in Hinduism. Although he is known by many
other attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes
him easy to identify. Several texts relate
mythological anecdotes associated with his birth
and exploits, and explain his distinct
iconography. Ganesha is worshipped as the lord
of beginnings and as the lord of obstacles
(Vighnesha), patron of arts and sciences, and the
god of intellect and wisdom. He is honoured with
affection at the start of any ritual or ceremony
and invoked as the "Patron of Letters" at the
beginning of any writing. Ganesha appears as a
distinct deity in clearly-recognizable form
beginning in the fourth to fifth centuries, during
the Gupta Period. His popularity rose quickly,
and he was formally included as one of the five
primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu
denomination) in the ninth century. During this
period, a sect of devotees (called Ganapatya) who
identify Ganesha as the supreme deity was
formed. The principal scriptures dedicated to his
worship are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala
Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa. Ganesha
is one of the most-worshipped divinities in India.
Worship of Ganesha is considered
complementary with the worship of other forms
of the divine, and various Hindu sects worship
him regardless of other affiliations. Devotion to
Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains,
Buddhists, and beyond India.
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