Ganpati Murti Styles From Across India, Explained for Kids

Walk through any city in India during Ganesh Chaturthi and you will see a hundred different Bappas. One wears a warrior's turban, one sits on a golden throne, one dances, one has five faces, one is made of paper and seeds. Children notice this straight away, and they always ask the same thing: why does Ganpati look different everywhere? This guide to Ganpati murti styles is our answer, written for curious children and the grown-ups who get asked the questions.

What is a murti?

A murti is a sacred image of a god, made to be worshipped. For Ganesh Chaturthi, families bring a murti of Ganesha home, or visit a great one in a public pandal, and treat him as an honoured guest for the days of the festival.

Every artist who makes a murti decides how Bappa will look: what he wears, what he holds, where he sits and what surrounds him. Those choices come from the place, the people and the stories they want to tell. That is why there are so many styles, and why there is no single "right" one.

What every Ganpati murti has

Before the differences, the things almost every style shares, and what they are said to teach:

• Big ears: listen more, speak less.
• Small eyes: focus on what matters.
• The trunk: strong enough to lift a tree, gentle enough to pick up a flower.
• One broken tusk: he broke it to keep writing the Mahabharata; great work asks for sacrifice.
• A modak in his hand: the sweet reward of wisdom.
• The raised open hand: "do not fear."
• Mushak the mouse: nobody is too small to matter.

If your child knows these, they can find them in any murti, anywhere. The story behind them is in our Ganesh Chaturthi story for kids.

Ganpati murti styles of Maharashtra

Maharashtra is the heart of the festival, and many of its best-loved looks honour the history of the Marathas:

• Pagdi Ganpati wears the warrior's turban, in honour of the Marathas. The pagdi is worn by those who protect others.
• Singhasan Ganpati sits on a great throne, like the kings of Raigad. A throne is a duty, not a prize.
• Mukut Ganpati wears a tall jewelled crown: the head must hold good thoughts.
• Bappa on the Fort Throne sits before a hill fort, the kind that once protected a whole people.

The great pandal looks

Public celebrations turned some murtis into giants:

• The Grand Mumbai Pandal Ganpati is tall, maroon and gold, with his right hand raised in blessing.
• Pune's Golden Ganpati has big ears, a gentle face and golden jewels.
• Hyderabad's Five-Faced Giant looks every way at once, with ten hands: see a problem from every side before you act.

Bappa in the looks of other gods

Some murtis show Ganesha dressed as, or beside, other gods, which is a lovely way to talk about how the stories connect:

• The Balaji look, with the tall conical crown, conch and discus of Lord Venkateswara.
• Bappa as Shri Ram, with bow and arrow, and Bappa as Krishna, with peacock feather and flute.
• Bappa resting on Sheshnag, the great serpent, as Vishnu does on the ocean.
• Bappa with Hanuman, wisdom and devotion together, and with Lakshmi and Saraswati, wealth and learning on either side.

The old forms of Ganesha

Long before pandals, the old texts and temple traditions described many forms of Ganesha, each with a meaning:

• Vakratunda, riding a lion, who tamed the demon of jealousy.
• Vikata, riding a peacock, who tamed desire and craving.
• Nritya Ganapati, the dancer, under the wish-fulfilling tree.
• Heramba, with five heads and ten arms, riding a lion to protect the weak.
• Maha Ganapati, with ten arms, a third eye and a crescent moon.

Regional crafts from across India

Some of the most beautiful styles come from local crafts:

• Pillaiyar of Tamil Nadu, carved like temple stone with a tall ornamental headpiece. Pillaiyar sits at the entrance of many temples in the south: every journey has a guardian at its start.
• Gujarat's Mirror-Work Bappa, dressed in bright cloth, beads and little round mirrors, each one reflecting a little light.
• Odisha's Silver Filigree Bappa, in the lace-like silver work of Cuttack, where every piece takes a thousand tiny, patient turns.

New traditions

The festival keeps changing, and so does Bappa:

• The Eco Warrior Bappa, made of paper, seeds and coconut husk, so that at visarjan he melts gently back into nature. Many families now choose clay or eco-friendly murtis to protect rivers and the sea.
• Bappa and the Moon Rocket, cheering India's journey to the Moon: knowledge is also a form of worship.
• The Balancing Bappa, standing on one toe on a lotus bud: balance in life takes daily practice.

How to use murti styles with children

• Play "spot the symbol." Show a picture and ask your child to find the ears, the tusk, the modak and the mouse.
• Talk about the place. Where is this style from? What do people wear there? Why might they dress Bappa that way?
• Design your own. After seeing a few styles, children love to invent one: what would Bappa wear in your city?

A coloring book of 32 murti styles

Our Ganesha coloring book for ages 8 to 12 has 32 named murti styles from across India, including every style above, each with a line about what makes it special and a short lesson. It opens with the story of Ganesh Chaturthi in twelve pictures and ends with a copy-the-murti grid and a step-by-step drawing page. For younger children, the ages 4 to 8 edition has the same story with big, bold pictures.

Frequently asked questions