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  • Cultural Convergence: The Presence of Ganesha in the Georgian National Museum

    The Georgian National Museum houses a wide range of fascinating artefacts from numerous cultures. This piece will focus on one of these items, India's cherished Deity 'Ganesha,' who is revered in Hinduism. This 19th-century Ganesha sculpture is fashioned of pure white marble and then painted to highlight Ganesha's eyes, crown, and other features. Kapianidze (2018) holds a detailed account of how this sculpture came to be in Georgia and how it ended up in Georgia’s museum. The Simon Janashia State Museum of Georgia obtained a valuable collection of weaponry and eastern miniature statuary from Zurab and Tamar Kobiashvili's family in 1926. Back at that time, Donated and acquired pieces, as well as archaeological and anthropological artefacts, were added to the museum's holdings and this holy sculpture is one of them. This Ganesha sculpture was a private collection of Zurab Kobiashvili. General Zurab Kobiashvili (1864-1931) was a connoisseur and an admirer of oriental culture. He was in military service and hence he was frequently stationed in European and Eastern countries. This allowed him to gather Hindu and Buddhist artefacts from many countries over the years, which are both artistically and historically significant. There were over 400 of them in total which included 207 items of Marble, Bronze, ceramic, and wooden figures of Hindu and Buddhist deities, as well as ethnocultural samples from India and the Far East (China, Japan, and Mongolia). There was no heir for Zurab and Tamar Kobiashvili and hence they decided to sell their collection to the Georgian State Museum after returning to Tbilisi. It was June 22, 1926, when the museum bought the collection and paid 15,000 rubles to Kobiashvili. Unfortunately, this high-ranking military officer's work as a collector received little attention nonetheless, it is a valuable resource for Georgian researchers interested in the cultures, arts, and religions of the nations included. The importance of studying this Buddhist and Hindu collection is heightened by the fact that Georgia had trade links with these countries in the Far East as early as the Middle Ages via the "Silk Road” (Kapianidze, 2018). Ganesha, when represented in art, is shown in a variety of ways depending on the culture - Indian, Cambodian, Javanese, and so. He usually has a cracked tusk, an axe, a ladle, a noose, prayer beads, and a tray or bowl of sweets in his hands (Cartwright, 2012). In order to overcome life's challenges, he occasionally wields an elephant goad. In Indian temples, the statue of Ganesha is frequently represented riding Kroncha, his enormous rat, which is known for its agility and represents the god's ability to avoid obstacles. However not just in India but in other countries such as Indonesia, lord Ganesha holds significance. Indonesia is the only country to have lord Ganesha’s image on its currency, 20,000 rupiah note. In this note, Ganesha sits upright over a twin lotus shaped base, exactly like in the sculpture. Therefore, it can be said that not just in Hinduism but in Jainism and Buddhism as well, Ganesha is revered as a major deity. Brown (1991) claims that significance of Lord Ganesha also appeared in China by sixth century and by tenth and eleventh century texts on Ganesha were being translated into Tibetan and were introduced in Tibet by monks. With his elephant head and human body, Ganesha symbolizes both the soul (atman) and the physical world (maya). He is also a patron of writers, travelers, students, and merchants, and he removes roadblocks to new ideas. Alternative fascinating symbolism behind the form of lord Ganesh can be found in the nature. Shukla (2019) explains how in most forests, elephants are the ones who clear the way. When an elephant moves through dense forest, it clears a path for other creatures to follow. Hence, before beginning anything new, Lord Ganesh is worshipped first. Lord Ganesha removes impediments and paves the road for us to progress in life. Shukla (2019) also talks about Lord Ganesha's four hands that represent the subtle body's four interior attributes which are brain (Manas), knowledge (Buddhi), pride (Ahamkara), and constrained conscience (Chitta). Ganesha also holds meaning in the spiritual realm. Ganesha is also known as Omkara or Aumkara, which indicates that he has the form of ‘Om’. His body is shaped like the outline of a Devanagari letter, which signifies the famous ‘Bija Mantra’. As a result, Ganesha is regarded as the bodily manifestation of the entire Cosmos, He who is at the foundation of all phenomenal reality. Furthermore, in Tamil language, the sacred syllable is denoted by a character that resembles Ganesha's elephant head. Ganesha is said to be the in-charge of the Hinduism religion. Also known as ‘Sanatana Dharama’, Hinduism, is claimed to be the only living religion that does not look to a human founder for its source of inspiration, scripture, or historical beginning. This religion does not have any organized headquarters on the material plane. It is timeless and eternal just like Ganesha (Subramuniyaswami, 1996). Ganesha is given control over the ‘Ganas’, a phrase that refers to all types of entities that exists including insects, animals, and people, as well as invisible and heavenly beings. Everything from environmental factors like floods and earthquakes to elemental qualities like water and fire, to the functioning of the body's organs and activities, all of these beings contribute to the management of the Creation. It is believed that we can bow to Lord Ganesha to gain blessings to each gana. We receive all of God's grace by accepting his and such is the significance of Ganesha! References – Brown, R. L. (Ed.). (1991). Ganesh: studies of an Asian god. State University of New York Press. Cartwright, M (2012). Ganesha. World history Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Ganesha/ Dutta, S. (2016). A monograph on the elephant-headed God Ganesha: The mythological concept and distinct iconography. Grewal, R. (2009). The book of Ganesha. Penguin Books India. Kapianidze, M (2018). Study of the Arms Collection at the Georgian National Museum. BULLETIN OF THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 12 (4). Retrieved from http://science.org.ge/bnas/t12-n4/27_Kapianidze.pdf Krishnaswami, U. (2006). Broken Tusk: Stories of the Hindu God Ganesha. august house. Chicago. Patel, S. (2006). The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow. Penguin. Shukla, R. (2019). Symbolic Description of Lord Ganesha. The times of India. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/rituals-puja/symbolic-description-of-lord- ganesha/articleshow/68207007.cms\ Subramuniyaswami, S. S. (1996). Loving Ganesha. Himalayan Academy Publications.

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