Ganesha from Minakshi Temple at Halesbid in Mysore 13th c. Brundage

Ganesha is the first son of Parvati and Shiva. He has the head of an elephant and is fat and plump, with a prominent belly. The myths about this god are many and sometimes contradictory. The most widespread story is that Shiva, returning after a long absence to his heavenly home, saw an unknown person sitting at his door. Seized by jealousy, he drew his sword and cut off the stranger's head. Parvati appeared as she heard the shrieks, an din tears told her husband that the victim was his son.

Out of his mind with grief, Shiva started looking around from some means of giving life back to his son. He thought he could make use of a passing elephant and cut off its head and stuck it onto his son's shoulders. From that day onwards, the god Ganesha has had an elephant head, with one broken tusk, for it so happened that the passing elephant had been wounded!