Tonight marks the first night of Ganesh Chaturthi – and so therefore, some rather amazing art one and a half millennia ancient from the Khotanese Saka ( Scythian ) settlement of Endere, in the Taklamakan Desert of Western China.

Why? Well, partially it is because this piece has been on my mind recently and I had cause to use it this very morning to counter somebody who was attempting to suggest I was basically imagining/fabricating the idea of Hindu influence out there.

But largely because this image stands for another essential truth.

He really does Get In Everywhere.

This is partially why the Vahana (‘vehicle’ / ‘steed’) of Ganesha is so often depicted as a Mouse – because a Mouse, too, can seemingly get in anywhere.

Quite a thing in some ways. You go digging in a desert in China – there He is.

Over the ensuing Ten Night, I’ll have a few other – perhaps surprising – occurrences for Ganesha in some pretty interesting places !