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Another popular deity is Ganapati or Ganesa. As a Hindu 1. Refer, Development of Hindu Iconography, Plate XLV, Fig. 4.

32 divinity he is represented as either seated or standing. The seated posture may be a Padmasana and the deity sits on a mouse or sometimes on a lion. Images in this pose is seen with left leg as folded horizontally and rests on the pedestal or seat. He is pot-bellied and his legs are crossed. When he is represented as standing he is either in Dvibhanga, Tribhanga or Sambhanga postures. He holds a Cakra and a plate of sweetmeat in his two hands. Sometimes Padma, Noose, Rosary, Pasa, Parasu are also added as his attributed. He is also regarded as the bestower of diedom, and knowledge. wisdom In Buddhist Inconography, Ganapati or Vinayaka is sometimes regarded as an evil spirit or as a demon. Sometimes he is represented as a Hindu deity and wears the Jata-mukuta of Siva which resembles the Hindu god Ganesa or Ganapati. In the Buddhist pantheon Ganapati is generally regarded as red in complexion. He is also seen as twelve-handed and a mouse is represented as his Vahana. Here also he is bedecked with the Jata-mukuta of Siva which is sometimes regarded as the identification mark of the god. We may mention here about a figure of seated Ganesa, which was discovered from Nalanda (Pl.XVIII. Fig. 1. ). This image is made of bronze. The deity is two-armed and holds two different attributes. A beautiful hallo is placed behind him. But this Vinayaka or Vighnesa form of the deity is placed

33 in the group of minor deities in the Buddhism. The Indian Buddhist text Nispannavogavali describes the deity as white in colour. He is elephant-headed, and a snake forms his sacred thread. He carries a Trisula and a Ladduka (sweet balls) in his two right hands while his two left hands carry a Parasu and a Mulaka. He is generally described as two-handed.