One of the most popular icons in India is Ganesh, or Ganesha, the Remover of Obstacles.  Ganesh has the body of a man, and the head of an elephant.  It is traditional to honor Ganesh at the beginning of every undertaking and every journey, to make sure that Ganesh is there to remove any obstacles that come up along the way.  Ganesh’s big ears symbolize that he is a good listener, and his big belly indicates that he can digest our troubles.  Ganesh is known to be very wise, and the elephant is a symbol of the human potential for enlightenment.