GANESHA
One of the more than 33,000 deities of Hindu India, Ganesha is part human and part elephant. Ganesha is still one of the most popular of Hindu gods. In fact, just about two years ago a miracle was ascribed to a statue of Ganesha in India. A bowl of milk was placed beneath the statue in a traditional ritual for good luck. The milk disappeared and seemed to have been 'drunk' by the statue. Scientists tried to explain the disappearance of the milk as absorption by the statue's material, but faithful Hindus felt that Ganesha had indeed drunk the milk. This, they felt, showed that their god had smiled upon them.
Points to Ponder:
--If Hindus believe in a unity of the universe why do they worship so many gods?
--We saw a creature that was half lion and half man earlier in the term. Is this statue of Ganesha similar in any way to that other creature?
--How are statues of deities part of some organized religions? What purposes do they serve?
Source: New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ganesha, India c. 11th century. Kronos Collection L.1994.18.1. Photograph by Bill Rednour.