I clearly remember that during my childhood days, I would watch cartoons and animated movies of Lord Ganesha with complete concentration. He had a charm which used to captivate me and made it difficult for me to switch off the television. In fact, even now I watch his movies when given a chance. It’s not just his appearance (as Bal Ganesha) which makes him super cute but even his characteristics.There are many stories of him and here are listed a few of my favorite ones.

Lord Ganesha and Kubera

Kubera, the God of wealth was haughty since he was the richest God. To flaunt his possessions, he held a lavish dinner and sent invitations to popular guests. Among his invited guests were Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. However they sent their son, Ganesha as they were unable to attend. And then the fun started! Ganesha reached early and, unable to control himself, headed straightaway to indulge in the scrumptious food. He ate all the food prepared in the kitchens for the guests. Still feeling hungry, he consumed even the vessels, furniture and other things. Not satisfied, he even devoured the host of the dinner too, which scared Kubera! He ran to Lord Shiva for protection. Lord Shiva gave some roasted cereals to Ganesha which satisfied his appetite. This made Kubera realize his mistake and taught him a life-changing lesson. This story of Ganesha forms an invariable part of every collection of mythological stories and is a favorite with all kids.

Lord Ganesha and Goddess Parvati

This story is very famous among kids and teaches an important lesson that everyone should treat animals with care. As a part of his daily routine, Lord Ganesha went to play with his friends along with his mushak (mouse) gang. But his mushak got scared upon seeing a cat. This infuriated Bal Ganesha and he started teasing and tormenting the cat. He was constantly pulling his tail, throwing him on the ground and making him dirty. After some time, he let the cat go off. When he returned to his abode, he was shocked to see his mother, Goddess Parvati in a wounded condition. He asked about the person responsible for this, to which she replied ‘you’. He was shocked. She explained how she is present in each living being and gets affected by anything that happens to them This made Bal Ganesha repent his mistake and taught him to treat animals gently.

Lord Ganesha and River Kaveri

Once upon a time, there was a sage named Agastya who wished to seek the blessings of Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva. He wanted to create a river flowing in a direction which offered water to the Southern lands. His prayers were heard by Gods and they filled his kamandalu (water pot) with sacred water. On his way to the South, Sage Agastya wanted to relieve himself and have a wash. He saw a small boy and requested him to take care of his kamandalu. This small boy was Lord Ganesha himself who placed the pot on the ground as he found that to be an ideal location for the river. When Agastya returned he found a crow sitting on the pot and the sage shooed him away. However as the crow flew off it tipped the pot to the ground and the water spilt. This took the form of River Kaveri! A trouble may actually be a blessing in disguise.

Read more tales of Ganesha in Stories About Ganesha