Every year, Ganesh Mandals try to bring Ganpati Bappa in different forms (Avtars) like Mushak (Mouse) holding dholaki and Ganpati standing on it. This year, Khetwadi cha Sukhakarta, who makes sure every time they have a different avtar of their Ganpati, this year brought a Ganesh idol wearing a saree. When the first look of Ganesha was revealed, it got massively trolled. Netizens said that 'He is Ganapati... Let him be Ganapati... Why Shankar, Swami, Saibaba, Devi, Ram... God looks good in different forms.' Many people don't know that this year's Khetwadi ganpati is none other than one of Ganpati's avtars. This avtar is known as Vinayaka a female version of Ganesha.
Tucked away in a shrine of the ancient Thanumalayan temple in Kanyakumari district lies a rare and intriguing sculpture of the goddess Vinayaki, also known as Ganeshini. This little-known deity, depicted with an elephant head and a female form, sits cross-legged in Sukhasana, holding a battle-axe, a conch, a vase, and a staff around which her long trunk entwines. Despite her unique appearance, Vinayaki’s origins and significance have largely been overshadowed by the more famous elephant-headed god, Ganesha.
The Vinayaki idol in the 1,300-year-old Thanumalayan temple is one of the few representations of this enigmatic goddess. According to retired archaeologist C. Santhalingam, the sculpture is a hidden gem within the temple, located on the northeastern side and easily missed during a traditional pradarshana (circumambulation). The rarity of such sculptures makes this depiction of Vinayaki particularly special, as similar images are difficult to find. Vinayaki's obscurity stands in stark contrast to the widespread veneration of Ganesha, who is celebrated across India as the remover of obstacles and one of the most beloved deities in Hindu mythology. While Ganesha is the subject of countless songs, stories, and festivals, Vinayaki is often relegated to the margins, rarely depicted in iconography or human form. Scholars like Balaji Mundkur have noted that Vinayaki is one of the least encountered deities in religious literature, often overshadowed by her more popular counterpart. She is known by various names, all feminine versions of the elephant god, such as Gajanani, Vighneshi, and Gajarupa.
The earliest mention of Vinayaki appears in the Matsya Purana, compiled around 550 AD, where she is listed among 200 other goddesses as one of Shiva's many forms. However, her representations in art are scarce. The earliest known depiction of the elephant-headed goddess was found in Rairh, Rajasthan—a damaged terracotta sculpture dated earlier than the 5th century. Subsequent representations of Vinayaki appeared only after the 10th century BCE. Another significant representation of Vinayaki can be found in the Chausath Yogini temple in Hirapur, Odisha, where she is depicted as one of the 64 Yoginis—a sacred feminine force. According to Prithvi K. Agrawala in his book *Goddess Vinayaki: The Female Ganesa*, this figure stands in a rare dance pose known as catura, with her legs bent inward on her toes. Though eroded over time, the pot-bellied goddess’s graceful posture and the boar she stands on are still discernible.
Vinayaki’s significance is often interpreted as the female form or shakti of Ganesha, reflecting the goddess lore in Hinduism where each male deity has a corresponding female energy. Devdutt Pattanaik narrates a story where Vinayaki, as Ganesha’s shakti, plays a crucial role in defeating the demon Andhaka. When Andhaka sought to make Parvati his wife, Shiva could only kill him if his blood did not touch the ground. In response, Parvati summoned the shaktis of various deities, including Vinayaki, who drank Andhaka’s blood before it could reach the earth, aiding in his defeat.
Despite these fascinating narratives, Vinayaki remains a largely obscure figure in Hindu mythology, her story eclipsed by the towering presence of Ganesha. However, the few remaining depictions of her, like the one in the Thanumalayan temple, continue to intrigue and captivate those who seek to uncover the lesser-known facets of Hindu religious history.