Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, is a major deity in Hinduism. He was created by Parvati out of turmeric and her breath, and governs the root chakra and all ganas (desire). In one hand he holds an Ankusha, or an elephant goad, that is typically used manage elephants. By holding the Ankusha, Ganesha is showcasing that he can no longer be controlled or manipulated by external power. He uses this tool to remove obstacles from dharma's path, and destroy our ignorance of reality. Of all the Hindu deities, Ganesha is the closest to the material plane of consciousness, so he is better equipped to understand our experiences and help us through our everyday trials.
The small statuette is 1.75 inches tall and the large statuette is 4.25 inches tall