Elephant Deity Madhubani Style Painting from India, "Parvati Ganesha Saga"

Lord Ganesha welcomes his mother Parvati as she arrives mounted on her dutiful wild cat under the heat of the afternoon sun. Parvati, worshipped as the supreme deity of Shaktism, enters the scene brandishing a trident to symbolize her divine power over all beings and opposing deities. Just as Parvati appears with her wild cat mount, Ganesha is accompanied by his personal mouse, both eager for his attention. Holding out a divine lotus flower to his mother as a symbol of his very creation, Ganesha praises his mother for her infusion of life. India's Bharti Dayal paints 'Parvati Ganesha Saga' in naturally-dyed acrylic characterised by warm beige and royal turquoise hues. This painting provides a lovely representation of Hinduism's beloved Mother Goddess Parvati and God of Wisdom Ganesha who join all living beings in the mundane and spiritual.

"Madhubani paintings are in fact a simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by Indian civilization for the universal power of love, longing and peace; the quest of all beings," Dayal says.