Long ago, the God Shiva went on a journey to meditate on a far away mountain. His wife, Parvarti was left at home and after a while she grew lonely. One day as she was getting ready to bathe, she scrapped the dirt from her body, and modelled it into a boy child. She breathed on the model and it came to life, immediately being able to walk and talk. Parvarti was very proud of her creation, whom she named Ganesh, but she still needed a bath! So she left Ganesh to stand guard outside her bathroom while she went to bathe. She told him not to let anyone in. Ganesh While Parvarti was in the bath and her new son Ganesh was proudly guarding the bathroom, Lord Shiva returned home. When he arrived at the bathroom door, he found a child who had the nerve to try to stop him getting in! Not realising who this boy was, Shiva swung his sword-edged trident and chopped Ganesh's head off with such force that it disappeared out of sight. When Parvarti emerged from her bathroom, she found her husband standing next to the body of Ganesh. For a while it seemed that there was nothing Shiva could do stop his wife wailing with grief. Then he thought of a plan, 'I will go and get another head to stick on the lad's neck', he told Parvarti. The first creature he came across was an elephant, and it was difficult even for the mighty Shiva to remove the beast's head. He broke one of his tusks before managing to get it free. When Parvarti saw Ganesh with his new head, she loved him more than ever, and whenever you see pictures of Ganesh with Parvarti and Shiva, all three are smiling.