The Hindu god Ganesh turns macho and martial in Indian festivities

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MUMBAI, India (RNS) — On a street corner in Khetwadi in south Mumbai, an elephant-headed god towers above — his chiseled torso puffed out proud, with a mane of uncharacteristically long hair surrounding his face. The 47-foot idol of Ganpati, one of the most prominent gods in the Hindu pantheon, is one of  thousands set up for community celebrations across the city for the 10-day festival that began Monday (Sept. 14).

Every year, Ganpati, also popularly called Ganesh/Ganesha, is celebrated across India, where large and small idols of the god are worshipped before being immersed in the water. Most commonly, Ganpati has been portrayed as cherubic and playful, usually seated and with a conspicuous, round belly.

But in the past decade, this cute and cuddly god has come to be showcased in a variety of more dynamic, macho and unconventional ways, driven by a combination of social media, pop culture, changing aesthetic standards and a muscular Hindu nationalism.

“Every year we do a different theme,” said Hemant Dixit, president of the Khetwadi committee that has hosted a Ganpati pandal, or…