Lord Ganesh is among one of the most favorite Hindu gods.  Revered by Buddhists alike, the elephant headed god with a human body is looked to upon starting new endeavors for protection and luck.  Legend has it that the goddess Parvati fashioned a boy out of mud while she was bathing in the open to keep an eye out for intruders.  When her husband Shiva returned he was enraged to find someone preventing him from seeing his own wife.  He cut off the boy’s head with his sword.  Parvati was heartbroken so the boy’s head was replaced with an elephants head.  Shiva brought him to life.  He has since been known as a protector.