Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati. Material: Schist. Location: Orissa. 13th A.D. Ganesha is the Hindu God of wisdom, good fortune and prudence. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati. According to the Hindu tradition, while Shiva was away at war, Parvati put her son in charge of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva returned he did not recognize the new guard at her door, so he chopped off his head. Angrily Parvati demanded that Shiva find a substitute head for their son. The first one he found was the head of an elephant.