Ganesh carving from Nepal
Some inventors and innovators have claimed to be under divine inspiration when making their breakthroughs. Among five gods of invention flagged up in The Observer Book of Invention, that came free with today’s paper, is Ganesh – the elephant-headed god who Hindus see as the harbinger of success, prosperity and wisdom. He is known for putting obstacles in front of those who need slowing down and for removing them ahead of people who need speeding up – and celebrated as a champion of new ventures.
Given the fact that The Elephant Family preceded us in the new Volans Ventures offices in Bloomsbury Place, and that the garden contains two wonderful elephant head sculptures, I choose to take this as a reassuring portent – just as I take the sight of herons on the Thames or Barnes Pond in the same vein. It would be different if I were a fish farmer or fancier: twice in the past week I have met people who have had koi carp or similar stripped from their prized fish-ponds by extraordinarily cunning herons.
One of the other gods of invention spotlighted was Thoth, generally thought to sport the head of an ibis, so not that far removed from a heron. He was seen as the author of all works on science, religion, philosophy and magic, so it may be worth trying to get him on our side, too.
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