The beautiful image of Lord Ganesha is nicely carved out of soft pink stone from Orissa. The Lord of Learning and the Patron Deity of letters and scriptures, is shown writing the epic Mahabharata attentively with his tusk. When Vyasa wanted to compose the Mahabharata, Brahma suggested Him that Ganesha be his scribe. Vyasa agreed and Ganesha brought his broken tusk as a writing quill. Vyasa dictated the entire epic in verse. Ganesha recorded every word for Gods and men alike. Scholars, both mythical and historical, explain that this is so because, before undertaking to do the work, Ganesha stipulated that the dictation should never falter and that he should, at all times, be able to understand what was being said. Thus, it is not strange that such a conscientious god is propitiated by all and sundry.