Global Ganehsa: Know The Ancient Links Of The God To Foreign Countries

Bhubaneswar: Lord Ganesha and his grandeur aren’t confined to India. He is among the few Hindu gods, whose presence transcends the borders. Here’s how he is worshipped in other parts of the world.

Thailand: Where Ganesha has four hands

People in Thailand also observe Ganesh Chaturthi around the same time as India. In fact, Thailand is home to the world’s largest Ganesha statue. The 128 ft high statue, made of brass, is located at the heart of Chachoengsao, Thailand. Precisely, it is located at Ganesh International Park, Khlong Khuean, Chachoengsao. It came into existence in 2012 and is akin to a 14-storey building, overlooking the lush landscape of Chachoengsao. But the idol is a bit different from what we find in India. The statue has four hands, each holding a unique offering.

The upper right hand cradles a jackfruit, a symbol of prosperity. The upper left hand holds a sugar cane, signifying joy. The lower right hand has a banana, a symbol of nourishment. The lower left hand carries a mango, a fruit associated with knowledge.
Ganesha sculptures surfaced in Thailand around 550–600 CE, reported The Print. The God is known as Phira Phikanet in Thailand. Considered a symbol of success, he is worshipped ahead of opening a new business or on the occasion of a wedding. His influence is also witnessed in Thai art and architecture.

Cambodia: The five feet stone statue of Ganesha and its theft

Ganesha is worshipped across Southeast Asia. Researchers and scholars believe that the inscriptions and images of Ganesha in Southeast
Asia can be traced back to 5th and 6th centuries. In Cambodia, the Koh Ker Ganesha can is a testament to the deity’s link with the land.
The Ganesha is one of the most famous masterpieces from the ancient Khmer Empire, which ruled much of Southeast Asia and the present-day Cambodia. It is a five-feet monumental stone statue. Royal artists had carved it in the 10th century CE to adorn Koh Ker, a capital city that was crowned by a massive step pyramid and dozens of smaller temples.

The site—including the Ganesha—was photographed in the 1930s. However, a civil war broke out in 1970, and over the next decades, the Khmer Rouge ravaged the Cambodian people and their rich heritage, including Koh Ker. Historians claim that looters stripped temples of their statues—including the Ganesha.
According to experts in National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, in the 7th century inscriptions of Khmer-speaking territories, Ganesha is called by one of his more popular early names, Ganapati, or “lord of the ganas.”

Tibet: In Buddhism, he is destroyer of evils

In Tibet, Ganesha is worshipped as a Buddhist deity. It has different forms such as Maharakta Ganapati and Vajra Vinayaka. Indian Buddhist religious leaders Atisa Dipankara Srijna and Gayadhara introduced the deity to Tibetan Buddhism in the 11th century AD, according to a report published in the Indian Express.

According to Tibetan mythology, Ganesha is associated to the birth of Lamaism, a form of Buddhism that originated in Tibet and Mongolia. Tibetan Buddhist emphasize Ganesha’s role as protector of Dharma, destroyer of evil and remover of obstacles. Thus, in Tibet, Ganesha has armour, and weapons with a wrathful expression in bold colours like red, black and brown.

China: A darker tantric form

In China, Ganesha has a darker tantric form, according to a report in The Print. He is known by the name, Huanxi Tian, and is depicted as an obstacle.

Afghanistan: Worshipped as God of wisdom

A popular Ganesha sculpture, which is believed to have been carved around the 6th or 7th century CE, exists in Gardez near Afghanistan’s Kabul. Gardez Ganesha is worshipped as a god of wisdom and prosperity.