There was an Asura named Gajasura(the Elephant demon), he was a great devotee of God Shiva. He did many years of penance to Shiva. God Shiva who was very happy with his penance, gave Darshan to him. “Hey Gajasura, I’m very pleased with your Tapasya, please ask for any desired boon”, said Shiva with a smirk.
Gajasur says, “hey Prabhu, I love you more than anything or anyone, so I want you to be always close to me. So, I hereby wish that, you stay in my udaramu(belly) forever, so that you would ever leave me. God Shiva just smiles and says, “as you wish(thadasthu)”. So from that very moment, God Shiva in the linga form resided in Gajasur’s stomach.
Meanwhile the Universe and all the residents started to suffer in the absence of Mahadev. Many Devas went and requested the Asura to release God Shiva from his belly, as God Shiva couldn’t go against his own boon. But Gajasura was adamant and said no to all.
Goddess Parvathi was missing Her husband and she too couldn’t do anything to get her Bholenath(innocent God) back. Then she approaches Her brother Shri Vishnu and requests Him to get Mahadev back to Kailash. Then Shri Vishnu disguised as a bull play master, takes Nandi(the bull)along with Him and goes to Gajasura. Nandi, the bull performs all tricks and Gajasura very happy says to the man, “hey you have entertained me a lot today, what boon do you wish for ask me, I would give you anything. Then the bull owner(disguised Shri Vishnu) says, “please release God Shiva who is residing in your belly, as the Worlds are suffering in His absence and please take back your word and free Shiva”.
Then Gajasura, realises that the man is Shri Vishnu Himself who has to come to take away Shiva from him and so his death is for sure. Then Gajasura prays to God Shiva, “hey Shiva, I know when you would come out of my belly, I would die instantly. But I have one wish my swamy, please take my head along with you to Kailash and I would be close to you ever and promise me that you would wear my skin as clothing and thus you would be referred as Gajacharmambara, who wears Elephhant hide as His clothes”. God shiva agrees to this wish and so Nandi with his horns cuts upon the Gajasura Elephant’s stomach and thus God Shiva comes out of the Asura’s belly.
When Goddess Parvathi comes to know about Her Husband’s arrival to Kailash, she very excitedly awaiting for Shiva, thinks of grooming Herself with jewellery and clothes. She first proceeds to take shower, so in the excitement of seeing Her hubby after a long time, playfully she removes the turmeric grime which she applied to her body and blushing within herself makes a small baby doll with that. After the doll is completed, it looked like a small young boy and was very beautiful and so with her powers she breathes life into the doll and thus lord Ganesha is born(Few Puranas say that Goddess Parvathi learnt the Ganesha mantra from Her dad Himavan and so Ganesha was born from the turmeric doll). She before continuing her shower, tells Lord Ganesha to guard the door and shouldn’t allow anyone inside, until her shower is done.
When God Shiva reaches Kailash, He is stopped by Ganesh at the door and doesn’t allow Him to step into the private chamber of Goddess Parvathi. God Shiva fumes with anger and beheads Ganesh. When Goddes Parvathi sees that Her son Ganesh is no more, she cries and requests Mahadev to give Her son back.
Then God Shiva keeps Gajasur’s head to Ganesh’a body and thus Ganesha becomes alive again. And Shiva wore the Elephant’s Hide(Gajasur’s skin) as His clothing and so from that day onwards, Gajasur’s dream of staying close to Mahadev became a reality.
Hara Hara Mahadeva Shambho Shankara
Om Vigneshwaraya Namaha