The name Gaṇapati means ‘Lord of all Gaṇas’ or ‘Lord of All Living Beings’. As one of the most revered deities of Sanātana Dharma, Gaṇapati is also known by names like Gaṇeśa, Vināyaka, and Vighneśvara across the world. This elephant-faced younger son of Devī Pārvati and Bhagavān Śiva is also hailed as the Vighnarāja or ‘Lord of Obstacles’.
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However, Gaṇapati thought long and hard, then performed a circumambulation around Devī Gaurī and Bhagavān Śiva, stating that ‘his’ entire world comprised his parents, and so a parikramā of them met the terms of the competition. Bhagavān Śiva and Devī Gaurī accepted his indisputable logic and devotion towards them. Hence, they granted him not only victory, supremacy, or the right to get married first, but also the right to be worshipped first. This paurāṇika tale explains why Gaṇapati’s image often appears in temples, homes, gateways, and other places of importance.
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= Epithets of Gaṇapati =
Gaṇapati is most commonly worshipped as Vighnarāja or ‘Lord of Obstacles,’ as he fulfills his duty to facilitate the devas and hinder the asuras in yajña, sacrifices, or virtuous acts to gain boons. '''dam''' is a structure that impounds water or restricts its flow. Dams are classified into four basic types: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_dam gravity dams] are massive structures made of concrete or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonry masonry] that rely on their weight to resist the force of impounded water; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embankment_dam embankment dams] are large [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthworks_(engineering) earthworks] consisting of rocks, clay, sand, soil, or gravel; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttress_dam buttress dams] consist of a sloped, concrete face supported on the downstream side by a series of triangular [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttress buttresses]; and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_dam arch dams] use a curved concrete wall to transfer the weight of the water to the surrounding valley walls.
Dams provide for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrigation irrigation], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydropower hydropower], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply water supply], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_management flood management], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_water_sports recreation], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inland_navigation inland navigation], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_farming fish farming]. Irrigation is a critical application of dams: about 20% of the world's arable land is irrigated using water from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reservoir reservoirs] impounded by dams. Dams generate hydropower, providing a clean and renewable source of electricity, and also supply water for household and industrial needs.
An early dam was [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawa_Dam_(Jordan) Jawa Dam] in modern [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan Jordan], built around 3000 BCE. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites Hittite Empire] built several dams in modern Turkey between the 17th and 13th centuries BCE. In the 1st century CE, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire Roman Empire] began building masonry gravity dams – typically with vertical faces on both upstream and downstream sides. In [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_Europe medieval Europe], dams impounded water that powered [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_wheel water wheels] for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermill milling] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining mining]. The process of designing dams began to transform in the late 18th century from an informal practice to an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_engineering engineering discipline] rooted in science. In the 20th century, the widespread availability of concrete and heavy construction machinery led to the creation of many large-scale dam projects worldwide.
विनायक, विघ्नराज, द्वैमातुर, गणाधिप, एकदन्त, हेरम्ब, लम्बोदर तथा गजानन - ये सभी भगवान् गणेश के नाम हैं।
Vināyaka, Vighnarāja, Dvaimātura, Gaṇādhipa, Ekadanta, Heramba, Lambodara, and Gajānana are the epithets of Gaṇapati listed in the Amarakośa. [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.446136/page/n223/mode/2up [1]]
While the Amarakośa lists his many names, each epithet and iconography of Gaṇapati encodes metaphysical, cosmological, and philosophical meanings that are central to Indic thought. The Nārada Purāṇa [https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-gitapress-hindi/page/n415/mode/2up [2]] praises him in the following verse: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stongdey '''Stongdey'''] is a village in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanskar_district Zanskar] valley in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladakh Ladakh], India, situated on the right bank of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanskar_River Zanskar River], about 18 km (11 mi) northeast of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padum Padum]. Stongdey and the neighbouring village of Kumik had a combined population of 914 in the 2011 census. The local economy is largely agrarian, with snowmelt-fed irrigation compensating for the region's low precipitation. The villages have schools, electricity and mobile-phone service. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stongdey_Monastery Stongdey Monastery], founded in 1052, overlooks the village and is Zanskar's second-largest monastic institution. This photograph shows Stongdey from the northeast, with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanskar_Range Zanskar Range] in the background.
On the login page, enter your username and password. Select '''Reviewer''' from the '''Dashboard role''' dropdown, then click '''Login'''.
'''Sources for studying Ganapati iconography'''
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# Śilpaśāstra and Āgama texts — prescriptions concerning proportions, posture, attributes and ritual representation.
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# Purāṇic and other textual traditions — narratives and theological interpretations associated with different forms.
Check the '''Review Type'''. In this example, it is '''Anonymous Reviewer and Anonymous Author''', meaning the author’s and reviewer’s identities are concealed from one another.
# Material and regional traditions — sculptures, bronzes, paintings and temple images showing how these prescriptions were interpreted in different periods and regions.
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== Elephant Head ==
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<blockquote>A long time ago on Mount Kailash, Parvati was alone in the home she shared with her husband, Shiva. Using her divine powers, she created Ganesh to keep her company while Shiva was away. One day she asked Ganesh to guard her door and not let anyone in while she bathed. As Ganesh stood guard, Shiva returned. Enraged upon being prevented from seeing his wife by a strange young boy, the quick-tempered Shiva beheaded Ganesh and his head flew far into the distance. Parvati was drawn out by the commotion and was understandably distraught on finding her child’s lifeless body on the floor. To appease his wife, Shiva found the first head he could and revived Ganesh. As a gesture of thanks for Ganesh’s bravery and loyalty, Shiva granted Ganesh with the gift of being worshipped first, before any other gods.
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</blockquote>
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<blockquote>A plate of sweets at Ganesh’s feet symbolizes power and material wealth. He is often accompanied by his animal vehicle or ''vahana'', a rat or mouse. On some rare occasions, Ganesh is shown with 5 heads. The seated Ganesh is preferred in homes where calm energy is usually sought, while businesses and workplaces may choose a standing or dancing rendition of Ganesh to invoke enthusiasm and vigor.
The '''Confidential Comments to the editor''' field is for remarks intended for the editor. Keep feedback that the author needs to act on in the main review fields.
Ganesha is a popular figure in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_art Indian art].[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-41 <sup>[41]</sup>] Unlike those of some deities, representations of Ganesha show wide variations and distinct patterns changing over time.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-42 <sup>[42]</sup>] He may be portrayed standing, dancing, heroically taking action against demons, playing with his family as a boy, sitting down on an elevated seat, or engaging in a range of contemporary situations.
In the '''Reviewer Files''' section, click '''Upload File''' if you wish to attach an annotated manuscript or a separate review document for the editor or author to consult.
Ganesha images were prevalent in many parts of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India India] by the 6th century.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-43 <sup>[43]</sup>] The 13th-century statue pictured is typical of Ganesha statuary from 900 to 1200, after Ganesha had been well-established as an independent deity with his own sect. This example features some of Ganesha's common iconographic elements. A virtually identical statue has been dated between 973 and 1200 by Paul Martin-Dubost,[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-44 <sup>[44]</sup>] and another similar statue is dated 12th century by Pratapaditya Pal.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-45 <sup>[45]</sup>] Ganesha has the head of an elephant and a big belly. This statue has four arms, which is common in depictions of Ganesha. He holds his own broken tusk in his lower-right hand and holds a delicacy, which he samples with his trunk, in his lower-left hand. The motif of Ganesha turning his trunk sharply to his left to taste a sweet in his lower-left hand is a particularly archaic feature.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-46 <sup>[46]</sup>] A more primitive statue in one of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellora_Caves Ellora Caves] with this general form has been dated to the 7th century.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-47 <sup>[47]</sup>] Details of the other hands are difficult to make out on the statue shown. In the standard configuration, Ganesha typically holds an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parashu axe] or a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankus goad] in one upper arm and a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasha_(Hinduism) pasha] ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noose noose]) in the other upper arm. In rare instances, he may be depicted with a human head.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-51 <sup>[note 1]</sup>]
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The influence of this old constellation of iconographic elements can still be seen in contemporary representations of Ganesha. In one modern form, the only variation from these old elements is that the lower-right hand does not hold the broken tusk but is turned towards the viewer in a gesture of protection or fearlessness (Abhaya [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra mudra]).[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-52 <sup>[51]</sup>] The same combination of four arms and attributes occurs in statues of Ganesha dancing, which is a very popular theme.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha#cite_note-53 <sup>[52]</sup>] The most visible part of a dam is the barrier that retains water, but most dams contain additional structures that perform important functions. When a dam blocks a navigable river, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(water_navigation) locks] may be incorporated into the project to allow ships to pass through. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_ladders Fish ladders] are included in many dams to enable fish to migrate upstream. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spillway Spillways] are often included to safely release excess reservoir water downstream and prevent catastrophic overflows. Dam outlets allow reservoirs to be partially drained to purge sediment, perform maintenance, or increase water flow downstream.
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A dam may be deliberately removed for various reasons: if it poses a safety hazard, if the dam no longer fulfills its original purpose, to restore fish migration routes, or to improve the health of downstream rivers by improving sediment flow. Dams occasionally fail, resulting in flooding and loss of life. Many principles governing the design of safe dams have been developed based on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lessons_learned lessons learned] from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dam_failure dam failures].
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</blockquote>
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Thank you for watching and for contributing your time and expertise to the review process.”
This demo article explores how digital tools support academic publishing, from manuscript submission and peer review to revisions and final…
This demo article explores how digital tools support academic publishing, from manuscript submission and peer review to revisions and final publication. It illustrates how an online journal platform helps authors, reviewers, and editors manage files, communicate feedback, and track progress. The content is fictional and intended solely for demonstration and training purposes.
“Namaste, and welcome to Pravaha. In this video, we’ll demonstrate the reviewer workflow, from responding to a review invitation to submitting your feedback and recommendation. Let’s begin.
On the login page, enter your username and password. Select Reviewer from the Dashboard role dropdown, then click Login.
After signing in, you’ll reach the reviewer dashboard. The left menu groups your assignments under Action Required by me, All assignments, Completed, Declined, Published, and Archived.
Select Action Required by me to see requests awaiting your attention. Each entry shows the submission ID, article title, and the action required, including the response deadline. Click Respond to request to open the invitation.
The review process is organised into four steps: Request, Guidelines, Download and Review, and Completion.
In the Request step, read the article title and abstract to understand the topic and scope of the submission.
Check the Review Type. In this example, it is Anonymous Reviewer and Anonymous Author, meaning the author’s and reviewer’s identities are concealed from one another.
Scroll down to the Review Files section to access the article text and supplementary material. A Download .docx button is also available for obtaining a Word version. For more information about the article, select View All Submission Details.
Next, check the Review Schedule. This shows the date of the editor’s request, your response deadline, and the deadline for completing the review. Consider whether the article matches your expertise and whether you can complete the review within the allotted time.
If you are unable to participate, select Decline Review Request. To accept the invitation, click Accept Review, Continue to Step Two.
You’ll now reach the Guidelines step. Read any reviewer instructions provided by the publisher. In this demonstration, the page states that no reviewer guidelines have been set. Click Continue to Step Three.
The Download and Review step displays the review files and the review form. Open the manuscript and examine any supplementary material before preparing your feedback.
Begin with Summary of Review. Provide a concise overview of your assessment, highlighting the article’s main contribution and overall quality.
Next, complete the Details field. Explain your evaluation clearly, covering the article’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas that need improvement. Support your comments with specific examples where possible.
Both Summary of Review and Details are mandatory. Fields marked with an asterisk must be completed. If a required field is left blank, a pink message appears below it saying, This field is required.
Scroll down to Revisions Points if any. Use this space to list specific changes you recommend, preferably as clear, numbered points that the author can address.
The Confidential Comments to the editor field is for remarks intended for the editor. Keep feedback that the author needs to act on in the main review fields.
In the Reviewer Files section, click Upload File if you wish to attach an annotated manuscript or a separate review document for the editor or author to consult.
Next, open the Recommendation dropdown and select the option that best reflects your evaluation. Make sure your recommendation is consistent with the comments you have provided.
If you need more time to finish, click Save for Later. You can also use Go Back to return to the previous step.
When your review is ready, check your comments, attachments, and recommendation, then click Submit Review.
If any required information is missing, the page displays a reminder and highlights the incomplete fields. Complete those fields and submit the review again. Follow any on-screen confirmation prompts to finish and proceed to the Completion step.
This completes our demonstration of the reviewer workflow in Pravaha. You can return to My Assignments as Reviewer to check your assignments and their status.
Thank you for watching and for contributing your time and expertise to the review process.”
