Original Portrait of Chintamani Ganesha in Neutral Colors, "Chintamani Ganesha"

By Sunil Jaiswal, this canvas recalls the legend of chintamani, a gemstone capable of granting one's desires. Sage Kapila possessed the stone when the young prince Guna visited him. Invoking the stone's powers, Kapila created a sumptuous meal for his guest, who stole the gem. Kapila then prayed to Ganesha, also known as Vinayaka, for help. The elephant-headed deity regained the gem, but the sage refused to accept it, instead venerating Ganesha as Chintamani Vinayaka.