This artwork brings the Ganesh Chalisa to life through rows of intricately painted scenes accompanied by written verses.
Ganesh appears repeatedly throughout the composition in different settings and forms. Rather than presenting him only as the familiar elephant-headed deity, the individual scenes explore the stories, qualities and divine acts associated with him.
Across the panels, Ganesh is shown with devotees, other divine figures and his characteristic symbols and attributes. His vahana, the mouse, also appears within the narrative, while different gestures and objects help distinguish one episode from another.
The written verses beneath and around the scenes connect the imagery to the Ganesh Chalisa, so the painting can be approached almost like an illustrated devotional manuscript.
What makes the work fascinating is the amount of storytelling contained within it. From across the room it appears as a finely detailed composition; when viewed closely, it opens into dozens of individual episodes — each revealing another aspect of Ganesh as the deity of wisdom, auspicious beginnings and the remover of obstacles.