Ganesh is a very important Hindu God. All tantric and spiritual worship in the Hindu tradition begins with the invocation of Ganesh the elephant headed God. Ganesh became the lord of all existing beings after winning a contest over his brother. When given the challenge to run around the Universe he did not follow his brother into the depths of the universe at great speed. Instead he simply walked around Shiva and Parvati his mother and farther and the source of all existence. There are many stories that explain how Ganesh got the head of an elephant. One such story tells how Parvati created Ganesh in the absence of Shiva to guard her quarters. Later Parvati returned to be with Shiva and was refused entry by Ganesh and enraged cut off his head. Later Shiva returned Ganesh to life with the only available head being that of an elephant. In this depictions of Ganesh he sits upon a lotus flower symbolising the pure intentions of all activities. The placing of a Ganesh in the home is believed to bring visitors and good fortune. All Hindus would insist that " a home is not a home without a Ganesh ".