On this World Elephant Day, we're celebrating the god Ganesha, also known as Ganapati, one of the most recognizable and beloved Hindu deities. 🐘 Ganesha is revered by Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain communities across the globe. Beloved for his role as a remover of obstacles, he is often invoked at the beginning of rituals and life endeavors — such as the start of the school year or a new business pursuit — in hopes of keeping the path to success clear of any obscurations that could get in the way. ✨ Emphasizing the association between elephants, wisdom, and memory, Ganesha is also known as a divine scribe and patron of the arts and sciences. One story recounts how he was so committed to recording the epic history of India that when his pen broke, he snapped off the tip of his own tusk, using it as a stylus to continue writing without interruption. For this reason, many images of Ganesha depict him with one broken tusk, like this striking stone carving from our collection. Swipe to see s...