GANAPATHI is venerated in India as God of knowledge and is found at the entrances of almost all the temples and bridges of the roads.
The Puranas relate that his relatives asked him to marry; Ganapathi answered that he would marry that woman who equaled in beauty, power and wisdom his own mother. But, who could equal the incomparable Parvati?
His relatives permitted him to search, and Ganapathi placed himself at the entrance of the temples so that thus no girl could pass unnoticed by him; but it is believed that he still has not found what he was seeking.
THE DIVINE TEMPTATION STORIES
Further ahead we admired the beautiful figures of Siva, disguised as beggar, who, according to history, having desire to test the fidelity of the wives of certain sages of the forest of TARUKA, assumed the beautiful form of a BEIKAS-HATAMAR, beautiful nude young beggar. These ladies were proud of their chastity; but, according to the legend, Siva succeeded in seducing them all.
There is also the statue of MOHINI; VISHNU took that form to tempt the austere sages. It is magistrally represented in all its anatomical details and one can see in its face an expression of languor and complete surrender and voluptuous abandonment of its body.
If one thinks that these works of art were made only with the intervention of some few rudimentary instruments, of a sharp point with a primitive hammer, one will be able to appreciate then, in all its value, the genius of those artists.
THE SYMBOL OF PERFECT CHASTITY
Opposite to the figure of Mohini, is the gracious figure of ANASUYA, the symbol of chastity. The history is the following: PARVATI, SARASVATI AND LAKSMI heard NARADA say that ANASUYA was the most chaste and pure woman of the universe and, jealous, communicated it to their respective husbands, who to test that chastity, disguised themselves as RISHIS (Masters) and entered her house asking for food.
ANASUYA, being very devout and hospitable, let them enter and offered them rice, but they refused to eat, saying that they would do so only if she served them completely naked; it is easy to imagine the anxiety of that chaste maiden; but the very power of her serenity and chastity came to the aid of her virtue, permitting her to convert the three beggars into three children, to thus be able to fulfill her promise and serve them without any shame.
It is for this reason that one sees the statue of ANASUYA covered with a SAREE (Hindu tunic) that is sliding gently to the floor, and that shows her beautiful and artistic body semi-nude.
The entrances of the small sanctuaries are generally guarded by two DEWARAPALAKAS (guardians who watch the visitors with serene and scrutinizing eyes). One can also see a quantity of divinities that are dancing.