It is not just His childlike innocence that makes Ganesha one of the most popular deities of the Indian pantheon. The adorable form of a chubby little boy, His generosity with blessings and boons, and that unfailing love of laddoos - so much so that His iconography is incomplete without a bunch of the delectable Indian sweetmeat in the picture - endear Him to His devotees. The fateful Samudra-Manthan episode of the Bhagavata Purana establishes Ganesha's role in restoring the necessary balance to the universe. It is He who ensured that the nectar obtained after much ado from the depths of the ocean is efficiently accrued.
This Kamalasana Ganesha did by raising an obstacle that disheartened the devas themselves. When the devas and the asuras began to churn the ocean with the serpent Vasuki tied around the Mandara mountain, it gave way and plunged into the ocean. Vishnu realized that none other than the mischievous Ganesha had caused it to happen, so He assumed the tortoise form of Kurma and held up the mountain on his back to facilitate the Manthan.
Pilgrims to Tiruvanjali, where the Samudra-Manthan is said to have taken place, pray to the Shveta Ganpati on the banks of the Kaveri to this day. Polished almost the color of rose gold, this sculpture of Ganesha brings out the innocence and generosity of His demeanor. Seated in lalitasana on a blooming lotus, He is draped in the silks and shringar fit for the heavenly being that is Shiva-Parvati's offspring. His trusty vahana, the mouse, stands at His feet, offering Him another laddoo (that plump belly is proof that no amount of sweets is enough for the Lord!). The usual implements are in His hands - weapons, His own broken tusk, and of course the laddoos. The superb crown, together with the ornately engraved halo and shapely, generously adorned elephant ear-flaps, conveys a great deal of majesty. Note how lifelike are the eyes of the Lord, and the tattooed trunk that curls down over His torso.
