By: Rajkamal Aich & Prerna Mittra
Last Updated: September 02, 2019, 09:42 IST
Once upon a time, Lord Shiva had gone to fight a battle against evil. Goddess Parvati was alone in their home in Mount Kailash.
On one occasion, she had to go for a bath, but had no one to stand guard. So she took some turmeric paste from her body and moulded it.
The little lord was strictly instructed to not allow anyone in, while his mother bathed. Being a faithful son, he did as told.
Shiva then decided to slay the little one himself. In his divine rage, he cut Ganesha's head in one blow, killing him instantly.
When Goddess Parvati learnt of this, she was livid. She summoned all her avatars and decided to wipe away all of mankind.
Parvati then put out two conditions: that Ganesha is bought back to life, and that he be worshipped first before all the other gods.
Shiva turned to Brahma and asked him to bring the head of the first creature he sees sleeping, with its head facing the north.