Ganesh, also known as Ganapati, is immediately recognizable as the elephant-headed god. He is the god of wisdom and learning, as well as the remover of obstacles, and consequently the sign of auspiciousness.There are a number of stories about how Ganesh came to acquire an elephant head. Perhaps the most popular of these legends relates how Parvati, when she once took a bath, asked Ganesh to stand guard. When her husband Shiva wished to enter the bathroom Ganesh oposed the Shiva and Shiva cut his head off in rage. Distressed by her husband's behaviour, Parvati asked him to replace his head and the only head fitted for Ganesh was an Elephants babys head.Hence, he got the elephant head.