Ganesa: The God of Asia

Ganesha is probably the most popular god in India among the Hindus and was accepted by the Buddhist and Jaina as also by the Tantrics. His very therianthropic form evokes curiosity and many attempts have been made to explain it on the basis of literary testimony, however, was largely ignored. But it should be emphasized that only archaeology offers reliable data which has been employed here for the first time. It very convincingly explains the rise of the elephant-headed divinity from a sacred animal and an animal totem to the exalted position of a cult deity in Hindu pantheon.