Ganesh (also known as Ganesha) was a Hindu God, best known as the Lord of Obstacles.
Season 5
Ganesh accompanied Kali to a meeting with at least eight other deities at the Elysian Fields Hotel to discuss the Apocalypse. He was briefly caught by Dean in his true form while putting on a towel.
Later, he was killed by Lucifer. ("Hammer of the Gods")
Physical Appearance
Ganesh in elephant form.
Ganesh appeared as a middle aged black man in a black suit with a blue V-neck shirt underneath.
When he wanted to he could revert to his natural form, an elephant, but usually stuck with his disguise for convenience.
Personality
Ganesh hated being called an elephant. He was against killing Sam and Dean as he knew the angels would just bring them back. He also had a taste for human flesh, as shown by the Hotel's 'main course', which is in stark contrast to his mythological description, who was a vegeterian.
Powers and Abilities
Not much is known about his capabilities, although as a deity, he possessed the standard powers seen on other members of his kind. Additionally, like some other deities, his true form took the form of an animal--an elephant in his case.
- Immortality - As a deity, Ganesh could live forever.
- Invulnerability - As a deity, Ganesh was most likely immune to conventional means of killing.
- Super strength - Much stronger than a normal man.
- Shapeshifting - Ganesh could turn into an elephant.
Ganesh depicted in a book.
In Lore
- According to all myths regarding Ganesh, he is the son of Kali.
- He is the best known and most widely worshipped deity in the Hindu Pantheon.
- He has a distinction; that he should be the first deity to be worshipped before any other deity.
- Ganesh is widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Removing Obstacles, patron of arts and sciences.
- Ganesh as depicted in Supernatural is a stark contrast from his traditional depiction.
- In India, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by all of Hindu pantheon.
- In lore, Ganesh is a very peaceful god. He always tried to avoid fights and stopped anyone he could by advocating the mode of peace and universal love to them.
- He is a very lovable god and man and child alike worship and adore him in India.
- Ganesh is very fond of food and loves to eat "Modaks", round Indian sweets.
- Ganesh is regarded as the Lord of Wisdom in India.
Trivia
- Being a god of obstacles, it is possible that Ganesh had limited powers over fate and probability that were not displayed on the show.
- Interestingly, despite being an Indian god, he had the appearance of a man of African descent, unlike other deities at the meeting who reflected their cultural background (i.e., Kali and Zao Shen).