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These Hindu images were made in Cardiff in 2002. They were commissioned by the Wales Puja Committee who arranged for Indian Craftsmen Nimai Chandra Pal and Bishwajit Chakraborty, to travel to Wales to make them. They are believed to be the first Durga images made by Indian artists in Wales. Before this, the Wales Puja Committee bought their images from India and shipped them over to Wales. The very early Durga images used by the Wales Puja Committee were painted on canvas. They were used by the Committee to worship from 2002 to 2009 until it became fragile and worn. In 2009, the Museum worked with the Wales Puja Committee to create a new Durga Goddess. The process of making the goddess was recorded by the museum – from inviting the Indian Craftsmen to Wales, painting the Goddess’ eyes to the celebrations at the completion ceremony. In exchange, the Wales Puja Committee donated their old Durga image to the Museum as an example of a Goddess used for Hindu worship in Wales.

A very small group of students and new doctors from India (Bengalis) living in Cardiff and the Rhondda valleys, organised a Puja for the first time in 1972. This was the first Hindu worship, according to their knowledge, in South Wales. This Puja was performed in a private house with only a handful number of participants. But from 1973, it was conducted at The Parade, Roath in Cardiff for a good few years. This group was named as Bengali Association (Wales) in1974. Wales Puja Committee was formed in the mid eighties, mainly evolved from the above group, continued the tradition of this Puja with greater participation.

Ganesha is the Lord of success, education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In 2002, the Wales Puja Committee invited sculptors from Kolkata to Wales to create effigies for the Durga Puja Festival. Artists Sri Nimai Chandra Pal and Sri Bishwajit Chakraborty created five figures: Ganesha, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartikeya and Durga. In 2009, the Wales Puja Committee donated the effigies to the Museum.

This is the first Welsh Ganesha made with a mix of clay from Wales and the river Ganga in India. It was worshipped as part of the annual Hindu Durga Puja Festival at Caerphilly between 2002 and 2008. The Wales Puja Committee used to worship Durga images painted on canvas. Then they imported clay figures of the Goddess Durga and her family from Kolkata. However, they felt that it was very important that the effigies were made in Wales, to express their identity as Welsh Hindus.

The sculptors started with a wooden framework. Then, using straw, gauze and thin layers of clay, the figure slowly took shape. The clay was air-dried before being painted and dressed. This Ganesha was created with the other Durga family of effigies. It took the artists three weeks to complete the family. One of the most important steps in the process is Chakkhu Daan – painting the eye. It is at this point that the sculptures become holy objects.

Ganesha is one of the five most important Hindu Gods celebrated in the panchayatana puja. He is the Lord of success, education, knowledge, wisdom and welath. Ganesha has four hands and an elephant's head. His father Shiva cut off his head in a delirious rage. His mother the goddess Durga pryed and was granted a wish that baby Gnesha would survive - but with the head of the first animal he saw. This was an elephant. As the remover of obstacles, Ganesha is invoked when beginning worship or starting any new venture. All Hindus worship Ganesha irrespective of their sectarian belief.