The Udayagiri Ganesha: Why Historians Consider It Among the Earliest Ganesha Images

1.Ganesh on his vahana

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesh_on_his_vahana,_a_mouse_or_rat.jpg 

2.Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha

Jogeeshwaricha Raja, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jogeshwari_Cha_Raja_2024.jpg

3.Crafting a Ganesha Idol

Nijgoykar, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chitrashalagoa.jpg 

4.Lord Ganesha, Mathura (Late Gupta Period)

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesha_-_Late_Gupta_Period_-_Gaughat_-_ACCN_74-22_-_Government_Museum_-_Mathura_2013-02-23_5033.JPG 

5.Lord Ganesha, Mathura (Late Gupta Period)

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesha_-_Late_Gupta_Period_-_Gau_Ghat_-_ACCN_74-22_-_Government_Museum_-_Mathura_2013-02-22_4740.JPG

6.Ganapathy at Arittapatti, Madurai

R.K.Lakshmi, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S-TN-33_ganapathy_Arittapatti.jpg

7.Lord Ganesha, Basohli miniature

National Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesha_Basohli_miniature_circa_1730_Dubost_p73.jpg

8.Lord Ganesha, Mathura (Gupta Period)

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesha_-_Gupta_Period_-_ACCN_15-758_-_Government_Museum_-_Mathura_2013-02-23_5418.JPG

9.Lord Ganesha, Bhumara, Madhya Pradesh

SuvadipSanyal, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20.3.Ganesha–5th_century_CE-Red_sandstone-_Bhumara-Madhya_Pradesh-_Sculpture_gallery-Indian_Museum-Kolkata-NS4951-A25063.jpg 

10.Lord Ganesha, Mathura (Late Medieval Period)

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesha_-_Late_Medieval_Period_-_Chhergaon_-_ACCN_14-495_-_Government_Museum_-_Mathura_2013-02-23_5042.JPG

11.Ancient Ganesha statue at Thalinji

Marcus334, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ancient_Ganesha_statue_at_Thalinji.JPG

12.Ganesha, Nurpur miniature c.1810

Buddhipriya at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesha_Nurpur_miniature_circa_1810_Dubost_p64.jpg 

13.Harappan Elephant Seal

Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seal_-_Elephant_-_Harappan_Civilization_-_Human_Evolution_Gallery_-_Indian_Museum_-_Kolkata_2014-04-04_4483.JPG

14.Gaja Lakshmi

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaja_Lakshmi.jpg

15.Coin of King Maues

Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coin_of_Maues_showing_Buddha.jpg

16.Buddha on Elephants

Photo Dharma from Sadao, Thailand, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:021_Buddha_on_Elephants_(33536749882).jpg 

17.Queen Maya’s dream

© Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dream_Queen_Maya_BM_OA_1932.7-9.1.jpg

18.Elephant sculpture on East Torana, Sanchi Stupa

Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elephant_on_East_Torana,_Sanchi_02.jpg

19.Elephants at the Eastern Gateway, Sanchi Stupa

Amigo&oscar, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elephants_Eastern_Gateway_Stupa_1_Sanchi.jpg

20.Elephants At Sanchi Stupa

Vijay Tiwari, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elephants_At_Sanchi_Stupa.jpg

21.Barhut Railing Fragments

Anwaraj, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fragments_from_the_Barhut_railings.jpg

22.Buddha Statue, Sarnath

พระมหาเทวประภาส วชิรญาณเมธี (ผู้ถ่าย-ปล่อยสัญญาอนุญาตภาพให้นำไปใช้ได้เพื่อการศึกษาโดยอยู่ภา่ยใต้ cc-by-sa-3.0) ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ – เทวประภาส มากคล้าย, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha_in_Sarnath_Museum_(Dhammajak_Mutra).jpg

23.Anantasayi Vishnu

Bob King, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anantasayi_Vishnu_Deogarh.jpg

24.Shiva, Parvati and Ganesha

Kangra miniature, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganesha_Kangra_miniature_18th_century_Dubost_p51.jpg

For more on the subject: Research paper by M K Dhavalikar

https://www.scribd.com/document/768849474/ORIGIN-OF-GANESHA-M-K-Dhavalikar#:~:text=fifth%20or%20the%20early%20sixth,with%20the%20genetic%20organ%20p