This document discusses myths and legends related to the Hindu deity Ganesha. It provides background on myths and legends, distinguishing that myths explain natural phenomena while legends are based on historical facts that have been exaggerated. It then discusses the oral tradition of myths about Ganesha compared to written stories. Several questions are answered about the values Ganesha represents in Indian culture like success in business. However, it is mistaken to think Ganesha solely represents wealth and prosperity. The document concludes by noting mythology is all around us in everyday things like superstitions about black cats.

1. Myths and legends
Topic: India- Ganesha

2. Team Members
• Ashna Shah- Group Leader
. Jiya Shah
. Hiya Rokani
. Pragati Ranka
. Padm:laxmi Panchal
. Hrishita Palrecha
.Pooja Pai
• Vedika Padliya
• Kruti Purohit

3. Q.1 What are myths and legends?
A myth is an Ancient Traditional story of Gods or
Heroes in which a problem of human existence is
dealt with. Some myths explain facts or natural
occurrences’. In contrast, a myth is a type of
symbolic storytelling that was never based on fact.
A legend is presumed to have some basis in historical
fact and tends to mention real people or events.
Historical fact morphs into a legend when the truth
has been exaggerated to the point that real people
or events have taken on a romanticized, "larger than
life" quality.

4. Difference between written stories with an oral
tradition.
Oral Tradition
• Oral tradition and oral lore is
cultural material and tradition
transmitted orally from generation
to another. Nobody seems to be in
possession of the noriginal text
now, because it was passed on in
the oral tradition. Even though Lord
Ganesh is supposed to have
written it down, it was still being
passed on orally by sages like
Lomaharshan, who narrated it to
King Janmejay/Janmajeya after
stopping him from killing all the
snakes in a Yagna because the
King's father had been bitten and
poisoned to death by a snake to
fulfil a curse.one
Written Stories
• Written stories were first
written by its real writer. Now
as it is become very rare people
started making up stories out
of it. Sage Vyasa wanted to
write the epic Mahabharata and
wanted somebody to write it.
As he would be thinking and
reciting it at very high speed a
very able and exemplary write
was required to writ it. So sage
Vyasa asked sage Narada to
suggest somebody to write the
Mahabharata for him. The
written stories are also known
as written culture.

5. Q.3 In Indian culture what values does Lord Ganesha
have?
• The worship of Ganesha by Hindus outside of India
shows regional variation. The acceptance of Hindu ideas
in ancient times still continue today in world religions.
• Ganesha was a deity particularly worshipped by traders
and merchants, who went out of India for commercial
ventures. The period from approximately the tenth
century onwards was marked by the development of new
networks of exchange, the formation of trade guilds, and
a resurgence of money circulation, and it was during this
time that Ganesha became the principal deity associated
with traders. The earliest inscription where Ganesha is
invoked before any other deity is by the merchant
community

6. Q.4 In what ways does Ganesha illustrate the beliefs
system of the culture that create him?
In the Hindu tradition there are many symbolic
representations of divinity, and it would be very easy
to become confused by the different representations
of God. Ganesha is one of the most easily
recognizable Gods from any religion, because he
has the head of an elephant. This elephant-headed
God appears very widely throughout all Hindu
traditions. Ganesha is also represented as the
bringer of wealth and prosperity; many Hindus
worship Ganesha because they want money. This is
mistaken. Many Hindus worship Ganesha because
they want success in business or power in the
world. Unfortunately, they do not understand what
Ganesha is and is not

7. Characters pictures along with its symbols.
Symbols of Lord Ganesha
Lord Ganesha is the lord of wisdom ,
knowledge and prosperity

8. Q.4 Mythology is all around us! Have you seen it?
Some people believe that if a black cat
come in our way, something bad happens
and this is a myth, people probably called
these things are superstitions. There is a
myth growing around us but we do not
know when and where. There is some
mythology. The black cat gives a bad luck,
we don’t know. Because most of the
people have proved it wrong.

9. “We can keep a child with a
Knowledge of an earlier myth
But we can not take from him
the need for mythology”
Thank you

10. “We can keep a child with a
Knowledge of an earlier myth
But we can not take from him
the need for mythology”
Thank you