32 Forms of Lord Ganesha
32 Forms of Lord Ganesha
32 Forms of Lord Ganesha
Lord Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Ganesha is invoked as Vighneswara
when an event or business is begun by majority of the Hindus as he is believed to be the remover of
obstacle. He is considered as the God of auspicious beginnings and bestower of fortune in
abundance. The Ganesha Purana describes the 32 forms of Lord Ganesha and among them,
Mahaganapathi is widely worshiped. The first 16 forms of Ganesha are known by the name “Shodasa
Ganapati” and the later ones are known as “Ekavimsathi”. Each form having special powers and
characteristic features. Two shaktis of Ganesha, Siddhi and Riddhi, are often depicted on images of
the mighty God’s forms.
32 Forms of Ganapati
Bala Ganapati
Taruna Ganapati
Bhakti Ganapati
Vira Ganapati
Shakti Ganapati
Dvija Ganapati
Siddhi Ganapati
Ucchhishta Ganapati
Vighna Ganapati
Kshipra Ganapati
Heramba Ganapati
Lakshmi Ganapati
Maha Ganapati
Vijaya Ganapati
Nritya Ganapati
Urdhva Ganapati
Ekakshara Ganapati
Varada Ganapati
Tryakshara Ganapati
Haridra Ganapati
Ekadanta Ganapati
Sristhi Ganapati
Uddanda Ganapati
Rinamochana Ganapati
Dhundhi Ganapati
Dvimukha Ganapati
Trimukha Ganapati
Sinha Ganapati
Yoga Ganapati
Durga Ganapati
Sankatahara Ganapati
1. Bala Ganapati
Bala Ganapati is “the Childlike” God of golden colour.
Bala Ganapati
Features: The idol of Bala Ganapathi is elephant faced and has four hands holding the fruits of the
Earth – Mango, Jackfruit, Banana and Sugarcane in his four hands. His trunk garners His favourite
sweet; the modaka.
2. Taruna Ganapati
Taruna Ganapati
Features: He is featured as bearing a goad and noose, modaka, green paddy, a sugarcane stalk, rose
apple and wood apple in His eight hands, which symbolize fertility. His brilliant red color reflects the
blossoming of youth.
3. Bhakti Ganapati
Bhakti Ganapati
Features: He is described to have four arms holding coconut, Mango, Banana and a bowl of sweet
payasa pudding. He shines like the full moon during the harvest season and is garlanded with
flowers.
4. Vira Ganapati
Vira Ganapati
Features: Lord Ganesh is depicted in the standing posture and strong with an authentic armoury of
weapons, which include goad, banner, bow and arrow, goblin, discus, sword, shield, large hammer,
spear, sword, axe, trident, noose, mace and chakra.
5. Shakti Ganapati
Shakti Ganapati
Features: Four-armed and seated with one of His shaktis on His knee, Shakti Ganapati. He holds a
garland, noose and goad, and bestows blessings with the abhaya mudra.
Significance: “The Powerful,” of orange-red hue, guards the householder.
6. Dvija Ganapati
Four-headed Dvija Ganapati is moon like in color. The word “Dvija” means born twice. It reminds us
the story of Lord Shiva beheading Ganesha and resurrecting Him with an elephant’s head. As per
Upanayana, Dvija Ganapati is considered equivalent to Lord Brahma.
Dvija Ganapati
Features: He is represented with four heads and four hands holding palm-leaf inscription, a staff,
meditation beads, water pot, noose and goad.
7. Siddhi Ganapati
Golden-yellow Siddhi Ganapati, “the Accomplished,” is the epitome of achievement and self-
mastery.
Siddhi Ganapati
Features: He bears in his four hands, a posy of flowers, a mango, a stalk of sugarcane plant with
leaves and roots and the battle axe. His trunk curves around a sweet sesame ball.
8. Ucchhishta Ganapati
Ucchhishta Ganapati
Features: He is of blue complexion and is six armed. He sits with his shakti, holding a vina,
pomegranate, blue lotus flower, japa mala and a sprig of fresh paddy.
9. Vighna Ganapati
Vighna Ganapati
Features: He is of brilliant gold hue and bedecked in jewels. He has eight arms and His weapons are
the noose, goad, axe, conch and discus, sharp tusk and the rest of the arms hold flower-tipped
arrow, sugarcane and a modak.
Significance: Removes all the obstacles from the life of His devotees.
Handsome, red-hued Kshipra Ganapati, who is easy to appease and gives quick reward to the
devotees.
Kshipra Ganapati
Features: He is depicted to have a broken tusk and four hands holding a noose, goad and a sprig of
the kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling) tree. In His uplifted trunk He holds a tiny pot of precious jewels
which is considered as a symbol of the prosperity he can bestow upon followers.
Heramba Ganapati
Features: He is the Mother’s beloved son and a rare form in which the Lord appears with five heads
and ten hands. The Abhya Mudra depicted in his right hand bestows blessing and the main left hand
grants wishes. On the other hands holds a noose, japa beads mala (Rudrashaka), a battle axe, a
battle hammer, his broken tusk as a weapon, garland, a fruit and his favourite sweet Modaka.
Lakshmi Ganapati
Features: He is depicted to have the Goddess Siddhi (Achievement) and Goddess Budhi (Wisdom) on
both thighs. He has 8 hands, gesturing varada mudra, Abhya Mudra and other hands holds green
Parrot, a Pomegranate, a sword, a noose, elephant goad, sprig of Kalpavriksha (Wish fulfilling tree)
and water vessel. Both his consorts hold white lotus flowers.
Maha Ganapatti is red-complexioned, seated majestically with one of his shaktis on his knee.
Maha Ganapati
Features: He is depicted with three eyes and a crescent moon on his head. He has 10 arms holding
tusk, a pomegranate, a sugarcane bow, chakra, noose, a blue lily, a sprig of paddy, a lotus, a mace
and ratnakumbha.
Features: Four-armed, of red hue and riding His resourceful mushika, Vijaya Ganapati His insignia are
the broken tusk, elephant goad, a noose and a lucious golden mango, His favourite fruit.
Vijaya Ganapati
Nritya Ganapati
Significance: It is believed that worshiping Nritya Ganapati will bring proficiency and success for the
devotees in fine arts.
Urdhva Ganapatti is the lord of golden hue and is seated with one of his shaktis on his left knee.
Urdhva Ganapati
Features: In his six hands he holds a sprig of paddy, a lotus, the sugar cane bow, an arrow, His ivory
tusk and a blue water lily.
In this form Ganapati identified with Single Syllable, third eye and is of red complexion and attire.
The single syllable comes from the seed letter “Gam”, which is a pronominal sound of “OM”.
Ekakshara Ganapati
Features: He has a Crescent moon on his crown. He sits on yogic lotus posture on his vehicle
Mooshika. With one hand he grants boons and the others hold pomegranate, elephant goad and
noose.
Varada Ganapati
Varada Ganapati, “the Boon-Giver with prominent third eye of wisdom, holds a dish of honey, the
noose and goad and encloses a pot of jewels in His trunk. His shakti is at His side, and the crescent
moon adorns His crown.
The lord of three words (A-U-M) Tryakshara Ganapatti is gold in color and has fly whisks in his big
floppy ears.
Tryakshara Ganapati
He carries the broken tusk, goad, noose and mango and is seen grasping sweet modaka in his trunk.
Haridra Ganapati, the golden one dressed in bright yellow vestments, sits calmly on a posh, regal
throne.
Haridra Ganapati
Along with His tusk and a modaka, He wields a noose to hold devotees close and a sharp goad to
spur them onward.
As the name suggest “single tusked” Ganapati. This form is special as He is in blue color and having a
large belly than in any other form which signifies that all the manifestation of the universe is within
him.
Ekadanta Ganapati
His hands hold broken tusk, Ladu, japa beads mala, and an axe to cut the bond of ignorance.
Sristhi Ganapati
Features: This active God of red complexion has four hands bearing broken tusk, mango fruit,
elephant goad, and noose. He is seated in his favorite Mooshika Vahana. It is believed that He will
help his devotees to attain the power of discrimination.
Uddanda Ganapati
Features: His ten hands hold a pot of gems, a blue lily, sugar cane, a mace, lotus flower, sprig of
paddy, a pomegranate, noose, garland and His broken tusk. He has his consort Sakthi with him.
Rinamochana Ganapati
Feature: His figure of alabaster skin is apparelled in red silks. He bears a noose and a goad, His milk-
white tusk and a favourite fruit, the rose apple.
Dhundhi Ganapati
He is known as the sought after Ganapati as he helps his devotees to attain moksha through spiritual
studies.
Dvimukha Ganapati, called Janus by the Romans, with two divergent faces, sees in all directions.
Dvimukha Ganapati
His blue-green form is dressed in red silk. He wears a bejewelled crown and holds a noose, goad, His
tusk and a pot of gems.
Trimukha Ganapati
Trimukha Ganapati, the contemplative “three-faced” Lord of red hue, sits on a golden lotus, telling
His beads, holding a noose, goad and vessel of nectar. He gestures protection with a right hand and
blessings with a left.
Sinha Ganapati
Sinha Ganapati, white in color, rides a lion and displays another lion in one hand, symbolizing
strength and fearlessness. He also holds a kalpavriksha sprig, the vina, a lotus blossom, flower
bouquet and a pot of jewels.
Yoga Ganapati
This Yoga Ganapati is absorbed in mantra japa. His knees are strapped in meditative pose, hands
holding a yoga staff, sugar cane stalk, a noose and prayer beads. The colour of his skin is like the
morning sun and blue garments adorn his form.
Durga Ganapati
Durga Ganapati, the “Invincible,” waves the flag of victory over darkness. This splendid murti is of
deep gold hue, dressed in red, holding a bow and arrow, noose and goad, prayer beads, broken tusk
and a rose apple.
Sankatahara Ganapati
Sankatahara Ganapati, “the Dispeller of Sorrow,” is of sunlike hue, dressed in blue, and seated on a
red lotus flower. He holds a bowl of pudding, a goad and a noose while gesturing the boon-granting
varada mudra.