Ganesha is the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati in Hindu mythology.
Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the lord of beginnings, and the patron of learning, writing, and intellectual activity. He is commonly shown with one elephant head, a large belly, and four arms, although artistic forms vary across regions and traditions. His mouse or shrew companion is called Mushika.
A famous origin story says that Parvati creates Ganesha to guard her privacy. Shiva returns, and Ganesha refuses him entry because he does not recognize him. Shiva cuts off Ganesha’s head; after Parvati’s anger, Shiva restores him with the head of an elephant and grants him a prominent divine status. Different texts tell the episode with variations.
Ganesha is not the same deity as Skanda, also known as Kartikeya or Murugan, who is another son associated with Shiva and Parvati. Ganesha’s festival, Ganesh Chaturthi, is especially prominent in Maharashtra and other parts of India, where public clay images are worshipped and later immersed in water.