An Unconventional Image Of Lord Ganesha -

This sculpture is an unconventional depiction of the Lord Ganesha. The son of Shiva is usually the image of the adorable baal-deva, seated with His chubby child’s belly protruding before Him and a pot of laddoos at His disposal. This is one conforms to the iconography of your regular Hindu deva - standing on an inverted lotus pedestal, His haloed head towering at quite a distance from the ground, and a gaze that is wise and mature directed straight ahead.

The pot-belly, which is within moments of bursting forth were it not for the snake-knot, is intact in the iconography. So is the Indian sweetmeatball that He cradles in the left of His anterior arms. Concealed in the palm of the right which He raises in blessing is the legendary broken tusk. From the conchs in His posterior arms to the world of shringar on His person and the spiked halo behind His head, the image of Lord Ganesha is replete with characteristic detail.

There is much about this work of that sets it apart from run-of-the-mill Ganesha murtis. Firstly, the hem of His dhoti rests a good few inches above His knees, which makes it visibly short for an Indian deity. Afore His torso descends a long, slender trunk that is densely tattooed with vines. On His slightly scrunched-up brow is the silhouette of the trishool, indicative of His divine parentage. Finally, the prostrating mouse on lotus-tiered pedestal makes the composition complete.