Is Lord Ganesha Married?

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Is Lord Ganesha, the lord of the people, married or is he a bachelor? If you ask this question in different parts of India, you will get different answers. There are several culture specific stories related to the wife of Ganesha. A majority of people seem to believe that Lord Ganesha is married but there are many ambiguity too! There seems to be some confusion regarding who are the consorts of Ganesha.

Here are some of the prominent mythical explanations to answer the question about Lord Ganesha's marital status.

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The Story Of Kartikeya & Ganesha: Ganesha and Kartikeya (sons of Lord Shiv and Parvati) once had a wager. They decided that whoever goes around the Universe 7 times and comes back first will be the first to get married. Ganesha with all his bulk and only a mouse as his vehicle was sure to lose to the agile Kartikeya who flew on a peacock. But Ganesha was smart, he declared that his parents were the entire Universe for him and went around Shiva and Parvati 7 times. He was married by the time his younger brother came back.

Evidence From The Purana: Some tales from the ancient Puranas state, that Lord Ganesha was a bal bramhchari (sworn to be a bachelor and a monk). This version of the myth is popular down South in India. Ganesha in many of the temples is depicted as a bachelor.

Ridhi & Siddhi: When a Maharashtrian family brings home a Ganpati idol, it is never alone. Ridhi (fame) and Siddhi (prosperity) always comes along. It is believed in Northern India that Ridhi (fame), Sidhi (prosperity) and Buddhi (intellect) were turned into goddesses and given to Lord Ganesha as wives. When Ganesha is pleased He blesses you with name, fame and good judgement; so he is has the women with these three qualities as his consorts.

Kala Bou: In the eastern part of India, mainly Bengal and Assam, Ganesha has a 'green' consort. During Durga Puja, a freshly cut banana plant is draped in a saree and placed next to Ganesha as his wife. Actually, the Kala bou (bride of Banana plant) has no connection with Lord Ganapati according to our scriptures. This was a local and primitive practice to worship Mother Earth for a bountiful harvest. When Durga Puja became a part of popular culture, Kala Bou was assimilated into the rituals and placed by Ganesha's side because Kartikeya is a bachelor, so there is no place for a woman by his side.

These are the different stories related to the wife of Lord Ganesha. Do you know of any other consort that Ganapati is seen with?