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Ganesh is the most worshipped god in Hindu society as he is first worshipped before any worship, before starting any work, education, journey etc. He is most present in the consecrated temple or roadside shrines, from which his grace radiates out from the world of the Gods. Ganesh is the Lord of beginnings, guiding the practical aspects of our lives that we may best fulfill Dharm. For the Hindu, Ganesh is easily contacted, and he is thought of as lenient of our errors and shortcomings, most understanding of our humanness. So vast is Ganesh's Being that he cannot be contained by any single concept, and therefore he is portrayed in many forms. He is each of them, and he is all of them.

Ganesh is a word compounded from the Sanskrit word Gan, meaning "the hosts," "multitudes" or "troops" of demigods, especially the retinue of Shiv under the rule of Ganesh, and Eesh, "ruler" "lord" or "sovereign". This is virtually synonymous with the name Ganapati - "master of the hosts". As Ganapati, Lord Ganesh is the leader of the Gan, ruling over the celestial hosts, over the benign as well as the malevolent inner-plane beings. He controls them not as Murugan (Kaarttikeya) does, through bravery and forcefulness, but by strategy and intelligence. We follow the path of Ganesh when we resort to discrimination and sagacity to resolve our difficulties, when we proceed past obstacles in a slow, prudent and well-planned manner. Ganesh is not in a hurry. He is cautious. He is patient, willing to await the right time for events to take place.

As Vighneshwar, Ganesh is the Lord of Obstacles, creating difficulties and obstructions if the time is wrong for us to proceed and removing those same obstacles when our success is assured. It is to Vighneshwar that we supplicate before we undertake a task, plan a change in our life or begin the worship any of the other Gods.

Ganesh's 10 Forms
[From     mantraonnet.com]

Ganesh's 10 contemplations are well known

1. Baal Ganapati (Rakt Varn - crimson complexioned) adorned with a garland of tender flowers, having plantain, mango, jack fruit, sugarcane and sweets in his hands and who is effulgent like the rising sun.

2. The young Lord Ganapati - Shree Tarun Ganapati (Rakt Varn - crimson complexioned), who is carrying in his hands the noose, hook, rice-cake, guava fruit, rose, apple, own broken tusk, bunch of corn ears and sugarcane and who vividly shines forth with His brilliant youthfulness.

3. Shree Bhakt Ganapati (Shubhra Varn - white complexioned), who is the Lord of his devotees and who shines like the autumn moon, with coconut, mango, plantain, jaggery and sweets in his hands.

4. Shree Veer Ganapati (Rakt Varn - crimson complexioned) who is armed with Betaal, the weapon of power, arrow, bow, wheel, sword, club, hammer, mace, hook, Naag Paash (serpent noose), spear, plough and the shining axe.

5. Lord Shakti Ganapati (Sindoor - vermillion complexioned) the destroyer of fear, who is embracing tightly the green complexioned Devee and whose complexion resembles that of the setting sun and who is holding noose and rod in His hands.

6. Blessed is he who remembers Thee, O Dwij Ganapati (Shubhra Varn - white complexioned), One having the book, rosary, staff and Kamandalu (water bowl) in Thy hands and endowed with the color of the Moon and with the dignity of elephant face.

7. Salutations to Thee O golden complexioned Siddhi Ganapati (Pingal Varn - golden complexioned). Thou endowed with wealth and prosperity and adorning a ripe mango, bunch of flowers, sugarcane, sesame seeds, sweets and axe in Thy hands.

8. May the dark complexioned Uchchhisht Ganapati (Neel Varn - blue complexioned), having a dark blue lotus, pomegranate fruit, Veenaa, corn ears and rosary in His hands protect me.

9. He, Shree Vighnraaj Ganapati (Swarn Varn - golden complexioned), who adorns conch, sugarcane, flowers, dagger, rope, wheel, tusk, hook, bunch of tender leaves and Darbha grass in his hands and who shines gloriously with the splendor of ornaments that Vighneshwar, the essence of all lights is ever victorious.

10. I meditate on the effulgent Kshipraa Ganapati (Rakt Varn - crimson complexioned), with tusk wish yielding creeper, noose, pot of jewels and hook and glowing brilliantly like the red Bandhhook flower.

So now we can see that our loving Ganesh is "there" for even the lowest of the low, that there is hope for everyone, and that there really is "no intrinsic evil," only a seeming variation of the past containing all that has to be learned to live and grow from a young soul to an older one and then mature into Rishi consciousness. He is "there for us."

The following site lists 16 forms of Ganapati including the above mentioned 10 forms -
From  nyganeshtemple.org

11. Heramb Ganapati
12. Srishti Ganapati
13. Mahaa Ganapati
14. Bhuvanesh Ganapati
15. Nritya Ganapati
16. Oordhwa Ganapati

32 Forms of Ganapati
From   http://ganeshgalli.com/32forms.htm    Can be found on   himalayanacademy.com also

This site lists 32 forms of Ganapati - they are from Mudgal Puraan --

(1) Baal Ganapati - This form depicts Ganesh as a child. The body is red colored. He has four hands carrying in them a plantain, a mango, a jack fruit and a stalk of sugarcane; with a sweet cake in his trunk.

(2) Tarun Ganapati - This form depicts Ganesh as a young man. He has eight hands carrying in them a noose, a goad, round cake of flour, wood apple fruit, rose apple fruit.

(3) Bhakt Ganapati - White in color, shining like moon. In his four hands, he carries a coconut, a mango, a plantain and a bowl full of jaggery porridge.

(4) Veer Ganapati - Also called as Veer Vighnesh, he exhibits the martial spirit with several weapons in his 16 hands. He is pale red in body color. Veer Vighnesh is 3-eyed with a crescent moon on the head.

(5) Shakti Ganapati - Worship of this aspects is said to confer special powers or grant the desired fruits quickly. Ganesh is 4-armed, embracing with two arms a feminine consort (Devee-Shakti) green in body, or sometimes his consorts Riddhi, Siddhi and Buddhi (success, prosperity and knowledge), or even Lakshmee sitting on his thigh.

(6) Dwij Ganapati - Four-headed Dwij Ganapati, "the Twice-born" is moon-like in color. Holding a noose, a goad, Anola leaf scripture, a staff, water vessel and a his Jap beads, He reminds one and all of the urgency for disciplined striving.

(7) Siddh Ganapati - "The Accomplished" is the epitome of achievement and self-mastery. He sits comfortably holding a bouquet of flowers, an axe, mango, sugar cane and, in His trunk, a tasty sesame sweet.

(8) Uchchhisht Ganapati - Uchchisht Ganapati is associated with unclean things like orts, whose worship belongs to Vaamaachaar (the left handed path or the heterodox and unclean path) and said to give quick results. Uchchisht Ganapati, sculpted as naked, is dark colored, four arms carrying blue lotus; Lute (Veenaa); paddy grain stalk and rosary. Pomegranate fruit is held in his trunk. Ganapat is red colored in body with three eyes. He sits with his Shakti, holding a Veenaa, a pomegranate, a blue lotus flower, Jap Maalaa and a sprig of fresh paddy.

(9) Vighn Ganapati - "Lord of Obstacles," is of brilliant gold hue and bedecked in jewels. His eight arms hold a noose and goad, tusk and Modak, conch and discus, a bouquet of flowers, sugar cane, flower arrow and an axe.

(10) Kshipraa Ganapati - Handsome, red-hued Kshipra Ganapati, "Quick-acting" giver of boons, displays his broken tusk, a noose, goad and a sprig of the Kalp Vriksh (wish-fulfilling) tree. In his uplifted trunk he holds a tiny pot of precious jewels.

(11) Heramb Ganapati - Has five heads, ten hands, three eyes in each face and rides a lion. In this form, he is extremely white in complexion. Heramba Ganapati, "Protector of the Weak" rides a big lion. He extends the gestures of protection and blessing while holding a noose, Jap beads, axe, hammer, tusk, garland, fruit and Modak.

(12) Lakshmee Ganapati - He is found in the Vishwanaath Swaamee Temple at Tenkasee, built by a Paandyaa king. Ganapati in this form is fair complexioned and resembles the flow of nectar. The consort of Vishnu (The Preserver of Human Life) is always placed along with Ganesh Jee, because we love Lakshmee (wealth) and are ever worried about annoying her, to be on the safe side we worship her along with Ganesh. Since she cannot precede him, she sits next to him; she is never neglected. She is always placed to the right of him as she is like a mother to him. He holds a green parrot, a pomegranate, sword, goad, noose, sprig of Kalp Vriksh and a water vessel.

(13) Mahaa Ganapati - This form is the one worshipped maximum by the Ganapataya(s). Accompanied by one of his Shakti, "the Great" Maha Ganapati, is red-complexioned and three-eyed. He holds His tusk, a pomegranate, blue lily, sugar-cane bow, discus, noose, lotus, paddy sprig, mace and a pot of gems. The body color is reddish, crescent Moon adores the head, Ganesh is 3-eyed in this form.

(14) Vijaya Ganapati - Four-armed, of red hue and riding his resourceful Mooshik, Vijaya Ganapati is "the Victorious" bestower of success. His insignia are the broken tusk, elephant goad, a noose and a luscious golden mango, His favorite fruit. He is mounted on a mouse. He is also called as Bhuvanesh Ganapati.

(15) Nritya Ganapati - This form is found at Halebidu in the Hoysaleshwar temple. It is a very fine piece of sculpture and perfect in modeling. In his four hands, he carries a noose, a goad, a battle axe and tusk. A round cake made of dough is held in his trunk. A beautiful form, showing him in a graceful dance pose; Ganesh is supposed to have taken this stance when the Creator bowed to him and he was so happy that he started to dance and thus earned the title of the master of the arts of music and dance.

(16) Oordhwa Ganapati - He is golden complexioned and his feminine consort is light green complexioned. He carries a Kalhaar flower, paddy stalk, lotus, bow of sugar stalk , arrow, tusk and mace; the eighth hand is wound round his consort.

(17) Ekaakshar Ganapati - Ekaakshar, of "Single-Syllable" (Gam), is three-eyed, of red complexion and attire. Crescent Moon on his crown, He sits in lotus pose upon his Mooshik, with ornaments of snakes offers the boon-giving gesture and holds a pomegranate, noose and goad. He is clad in red garments decorated with flowers. His body is soft with oily substances.

(18) Varad Ganapati - Varad Ganapati, "the Boon-Giver with prominent third eye of wisdom, holds a dish of honey, the noose and goad and encloses a pot of jewels in his trunk. his Shakti is at His side, and the crescent moon adorns his crown. He is bright red colored in body, his trunk holds a pot of wealth.

(19) Tryakshar Ganapati - "The Lord of Three Letters" (A-U-M), is gold in color and has fly whisks in his big floppy ears. He carries the broken tusk, goad, noose and mango in his four arms and is often seen grasping a sweet Modak in his trunk. He is golden complexioned with large fanning ears.

(20) Kshipra Prasaad Ganapati - "the Quick Rewarder" presides on Akusha-grass throne. His big belly symbolizes the manifest universe. He holds a noose, goad, tusk, lotus, pomegranate and a twig of the wish-fulfilling tree. He is seated on a mat of lotus. In this from, he is the storm that drives away the obstacles.

(21) Haridra Ganapati - Haridra Ganapati, a manifestation of Ganapati who offers protection to his devotees. The golden one dressed in bright yellow vestments, sits calmly on a posh, regal throne. Along with His tusk and a Modak, He wields a noose to hold devotees close and a sharp goad to spur them onward.

(22) Ekdant Ganapati - Ekadant, means of a "Single Tusk," is distinguished by his blue color and sizeable belly. The attributes of this Moorti are an axe for cutting the bonds of ignorance, prayer beads for Jap, a Laddoo sweet and the broken right tusk. Dark colored, protruding belly, standing in pose, his four hands hold an axe, a rosary, sweet Laddoo and the tusk.

(23) Srishti Ganapati - This Ganapati is skilled in creation. Riding on His docile and friendly mouse, Srishti Ganapati is the Lord of happy "Manifestation". This active God, of red complexion, holds His noose a goad, a perfect mango, and his tusk, representing selfless sacrifice.

(24) Uddand Ganapati - Uddand Ganapati is the bold "Enforcer of Dharm", the laws of being. His ten hands hold a pot of gems, a blue lily, sugar cane, a mace, lotus flower, sprig of paddy, a pomegranate, noose, garland and his broken tusk. A fair complexioned feminine consort sits on the lap holding a lotus. Ganesh who is red in body color, has twelve hands.

(25) Rin-Mochak Ganapati - Rin Mochan Ganapati is humanity's liberator from guilt and bondage. His figure of alabaster skin is appareled in red silks. He bears a noose and a goad, his milk-white tusk and a favorite fruit, the rose apple. To bless riddance of indebtedness is the boon of this Ganapati.

(26) Dundhi Ganapati - This is a special form limited to Vaaraanasee, India. Red-hued Dhundhi Ganapati, "the Sought After" holds a strand of Rudraaksh beads, His broken tusk, an axe and a small pot of precious gems thought to represent the treasury of awakenings he saves for all ardent devotees.

(27) Dwi-Mukhaa Ganapati - Dwi-mukha Ganapati, called Janus by the Romans, with two divergent faces, sees in all directions. His blue-green form is dressed in red silk. He wears a bejeweled crown and holds a noose, goad, His tusk and a pot of gems.

(28) Tri-Mukhaa Ganapati - He is three headed Ganapati and seated on lotus shaped splendid throne of lotus. the contemplative "three-faced" Lord of red hue, sits on a golden lotus, telling his beads, holding a noose, goad and vessel of nectar. He gestures protection with a right hand and blessings with a left.

(29) Sinh Ganapati - Sinh Ganapati has eight arms. Sinh Ganapati, white in color, rides a lion and displays another lion in one hand, symbolizing strength and fearlessness. He also holds a Kalp Vriksh sprig, the Veenaa, a lotus blossom, flower bouquet and a pot of jewels.

(30) Yog Ganapati - Ganesh in this form is in Yog posture, sitting cross legged. He is in a meditative mood. He is absorbed in Mantra Jaap, his knees strapped in meditative pose, hands holding a Yog staff, sugar cane stalk, a noose and prayer beads. His color is like the morning Sun. Blue garments adorn His form.

(31) Durgaa Ganapati - Durga Ganapati, the "Invincible" waves the flag of victory over darkness. This splendid Moorti is of deep gold hue, dressed in red, of eight hands holding a bow and arrow, noose and goad, prayer beads, broken tusk and a rose apple wish fulfilling creeper and his tusk is on the right side.

(32) Sankat Haaraa Ganapati - Sankatahara Ganapati, "the Dispeller of Sorrow" is of Sunlike hue, dressed in blue, decorated with jewels and seated on a red lotus flower. He has four hands holding a bowl of pudding, a goad and a noose while gesturing the boon-granting Varad Mudraa.

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