Look at this figure carefully. At first glance, you might assume it is Lord Ganesha. The elephant head, familiar form and powerful presence can easily lead you to that conclusion. But this is Mahavinayaki, a fascinating goddess whose identity changes across different Hindu traditions. In some traditions, she is connected with Ganesha as his Shakti, while in others, she appears as an independent goddess. Her story becomes even more intriguing when we look at traditions surrounding the Matrikas and Yoginis.
