‘Om Shakti-sanyutay namah’ : ‘adoration to Him who is united with power’, is the ‘Mantra’ this form of Ganesha, known in Ganapati iconographic tradition as Simha Ganapati, is commemorated with. Simha Ganapati, a manifestation of Ganesha cast either as riding a lion, or just with a lion figure around, as here in this statue, is one of his earliest classical forms considered as highly sacred and auspicious. In the related Mantra he has been adored as ‘Shakti-sanyutay’, that is, joined or united with Shakti. Literally Shakti means power but mythically Shakti is the other name of Goddess Durga, a manifestation of Parvati, Ganesha’s mother. The mother is always a son’s protective as well as motive power. Being her son Ganesha has combined in him, whatever his form, the power of his mother. However, in Simha Ganapati form such power is doubled by the physical presence of the lion, his mother’s mount – the manifestation of her motive power. Thus the worship of Ganesha in his Simha Ganapati manifestation is also the worship of Shakti.
Simha Ganapati is supposed to have white or at least a fair-complexioned image which the artist could not realize in a medium like bronze. Respecting the metal’s rich look the artist preferred to have the image in the medium’s natural colour. The presence of lion is the most essential aspect of Simha Ganapati though while a lion-riding form is more usual, Simha Ganapati is also represented with a lion figure by the side or on the back. Simha Ganapati is an eight-armed form though the attributes carried in them keep varying from one set of them to another. An image assimilating Durga’s Shakti Simha Ganapati is a warrior form and as such most of these attributes are battlefield-related, though sometimes his images also carry the prig of Kalpa-vraksh – wish-fulfilling tree, lyre, lotus flower, flower-bouquet or a pot of jewels. Riding lion and standing by its side the image of Simha Ganapati is astride, robust-looking and vigorous. In the medium’s toughness also reflects the toughness of the demeanour of Simha Ganapati.
In this bronze-cast the image of the elephant god has been installed on a circular lotus pedestal, the base part, a larger periphery, consists of an inverted lotus. The pedestal has attached to it towards its back a narrow plank for the image of the lion. Perhaps replaced with the lion as his vehicle the mouse, the regular mount of Lord Ganapati, has been excluded. As prescribed, the image of Lord Ganapati is eight-armed though in all them he is carrying war-weapons, in two of them, his favourite weapon, battle-axe, in other four, a noose, trident, goad and a dagger, in the seventh, a massive mace, and in the eighth, a tray with flames of fire bursting from it. The attributes representing softer aspects of his being are missing though a form of lotus has been used to define his helmet-disc. Appropriate for his image in a war-like manifestation this disc has a tougher appearance. As in the standing images of Lord Vishnu, the mace is placed on the ground, and its handle, held in one of his left hands. Though somewhat unusual, the tip of his trunk is turned to right and his broken tusk is only a little broken. The elephant god has ‘tri-netra’ – third eye mark on his forehead and is clad in a pleated loincloth.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist