The Ganesha Garden Shrine

The Story

The Ganesha Garden Shrine

The Ganesha Garden Shrine represents the first of the seven gardens and it is where all visitors will begin their journey down the path of self-transformation at Siva Ashram. We have been working on developing this garden for the last 6 years and it is the most developed of all the gardens because in Hinduism all journeys should start with a prayer for blessings from Lord Ganesha. At the entrance to this garden, there are two large silver Bismarkia palms that will dwarf and humble all visitors as they step onto the path. This year we will work to widen the path that leads to Ganesha, plant more shrubs and flowers along the path, and prune the mango trees along the pathway. The path will lead people to a circle around Ganesha that is embroidered with Royal Poinciana trees that sheds their leaves in April and May and be replaced by red flowers. Ganesha’s shrine sits in the middle of this circle and will be surrounded by turf and grasses for devotees to sit on while they worship and meditate on this beloved and benevolent deity. The Ganesha statue will be carved from Bali Black stone in Bali, Indonesia. This is the traditional stone that has been used for generations in Bali to build Hindu temples and carve statues. The shrine that houses Ganesha will be made of four carved red sandstone pillars, a red-tiled roof with wood rafters and trusses, and a polished cement floor. This will be a serene and uplifting space for people to sit with Ganesha and get blessings for their journey through the gardens of Siva Ashram. If you are a devotee of Lord Ganesha, or just want to get involved with Siva Ashram, this is a wonderful opportunity to show your support. Small and large donations alike are welcome and deeply appreciated as this is a crowdsourced project.