Ganapati, Vigneshwara, Vinayaka, Ganesha…presides over obstacles. He is worshipped before starting any endeavour. As you enter a Hindu temple, Ganesha is normally the first deity you will see.

This image, Mahaganapati, is one of the forms of Shakti Ganapati. He has ten arms. The arms should have a lotus flower, a pomegranate, a water vessel, a club (Gada), broken tusk, sugar cane, ears of paddy, a noose (pasha) and Bitapura. The attributes are indistinct due to the small size of the bronze and worship-related wear.

 On his left lap is seated the figure of Shakti, and his right leg is resting on his vahana (carrier), a rat. A hooded snake, a Cobra, is tied around his belly. He is seated in Lalitasana pose.

The figure is 6.7 cm tall and may be from the 18th century. This form, Mahaganapathi, is a rare image and is worshipped in South India. This is probably from Tamil Nadu.