Ganesh Elephant-headed Hindu god, son of Shiva and Parvati. He is the patron of learning and is said to have written down the Mahabharata. See also Hinduism

Ganesh in Hinduism, an elephant-headed deity, son of Shiva and Parvati. Worshipped as the remover of obstacles and patron of learning, he is invoked at the beginning of literary works, rituals, or any new undertaking. He is usually depicted coloured red, with a pot belly and one broken tusk, riding a rat. He is also known as Ganapati.