Traditional Chola Bronze Statue of Mappillai Ganesha
Chola theme based South Indian idol of Ganesha dressed as a Tamilian bridegroom. Mappillai Ganesha or bridegroom Ganesha is an invention of Tamil artists where Ganesha is conceived as a Tamilian bridegroom. This was imagined probably as an amusing event at the time of Ganesha ’s marriage with sage Narada ’s sisters Siddhi (achievement) and Buddhi (intellect). <br> <br>There is an amusing ritual in Tamil marriages where the bridegroom threatens to become a monk and prepares to go to Varanasi to lead the life of a renunciate. He even dresses up for this and gets ready to leave carrying an umbrella and a water pot for the journey. He is then pacified to return by the bride ’s father who ties him up in marital life by offering him his daughter. <br> <br><a href="https://www.cottage9.com/blog/scripture-based-indian-traditional-art/">Lord Ganesha</a> is imagined to be the bridegroom acting out this ritual at the time of his marriage. Therefore he is named Mappillai Ganesha or Ganesha as bridegroom. Even though imagined, this is a beautiful form. Ganesha is adorned with a long garland, carrying an umbrella and kamandalu (sacred water pot). He wears wooden slippers meant for ascetics and is walking away. Very nicely executed idol, standing gracefully on a double pedestal.
