Tutorial: Learn to make an Origami Paper Ganesha

With Ganesha Chaturthi, India gears up for the 10-day long festival decorating their homes, preparing sweets, buying new clothes etc. Many people bring a Ganesha idol at home and celebrate it with great devotion and joy. Lord Ganesha is known to remove all obstacles that come across our way, hence he is known as the Vignaharta, and is worshipped before starting any new work. I remember Ganesh Chaturthi being celebrated with great pomp and show in our small township. There was a big multipurpose hall dedicated for festivals and gatherings. All the residents of the town dressed in festive attires visited the town hall to catch a glimpse of the large Ganesha idol and acquire His divine blessings and certainly not to miss the prasad distribution. We used to be filled up with a spirit of joy, happiness and devotion, all at the same time, and we waited eagerly every year for this very joyous celebration. As grown ups, these are the small joys we miss!

Catching up with the spirit and mood of Ganesh Chaturthi, here's a tutorial on how to make an Origami Paper Ganesha without messing your hands, free from glue, paint or clay and no tools. All you need is a square sheet of paper and your dexterous hands to fold a paper neatly.

Origami Paper Ganesha

Materials used for this tutorial: 

Here I have used a red color A4 sheet, from which I cut out a square sheet of size 210mm x 210mm.

Cutting an A4 sheet to get a square sheet

Tutorial:

The procedure requires your patience to fold the paper neatly, for neat folds only will get you the final output. Don't give up in the middle. I suggest you try it out first using a rough sheet, for instance, try this model using a square newspaper sheet and then proceed with a good quality paper once you have perfected the folds.

Step 1:

Start with a diagonal valley crease on one side of the square sheet as shown in the picture below. Note: Those of you who are aware of origami folds, would understand what's the difference between folds and crease. A 'Crease' is when you see the mark made by folding the sheet, and 'fold' is when you have folded the sheet for the next step. No need of getting into technical details at this stage, just follow the pictorial steps and you will do fine.

Step 1: Make a diagonal crease 

Step 2:
Now make another diagonal crease for marking the centre of the sheet.

Step 2: Make another diagonal crease for marking the centre

Step 3:
Fold the bottom corner to mark the quarter on one side of the diagonal as shown in the left inset.
Now fold in the top corner to meet the quarter marked and crease well.

Step 3:
Left inset: Fold the bottom corner for marking a quarter
Right inset: Fold in the top corner to meet the quarter mark

Step 4:

Open up the paper and see the creases made. You would have one main diagonal and all your creases marked along the diagonal. The creases should appear as valley marks in the left inset below. 

Now turn over your paper and the creases will appear as mountain marks along the diagonal as in the right inset.

Step 4: 
Left inset: Valley folds on the paper
Right inset: Turn over the sheet to get mountain folds

Step 5:

Now fold in both the horizontal and vertical edges through the intersection point as shown in the pictures below.

Step 5:
Left inset: Note the intersection point made with the diagonal in the previous step
Right inset: Fold in the vertical edge through the intersection point

Step 5 (contd.):
Left inset: Fold in the top edge through the intersection point
Right inset: Open the paper to see the creases marked

Step 6:
Start collapsing the paper following the folds. You will get multilayer squares as shown below

Step 6:
Left inset: Start collapsing the paper
Right inset: Multilayer squares

Step 7: 

Now work with the top square. Fold in both the tips as shown below to get a bird base.

Step 7: Fold in both the tips as shown

Step 8:
Lift the top flap following the folds to get a bird base.

Step 8: Lift the top flaps to get a bird base 

Step 9:
Open the sides and fold the top tip as shown in the left inset below. Then close the sides as shown in the right inset.

Step 9:
Left inset: Open the sides to fold in the top of the tip
Right inset: Close the sides 

 This is how it will look after tucking the top in.

Step 9 (contd.) - After tucking in the top tip.

Step 10:
Now let's go to the bottom square. Fold in both bottom flanks into half and then tuck them inside.

Left inset: Fold in the right flank
Middle inset: Fold in the left flank
Right inset: Open and then tuck them inside one by one

This is how your model would look like after tucking in both the bottom flanks.

After tucking in both the bottom flanks

Step 11:
Now focus on the top bird base.
Fold in both the sides to touch the centre line just to get the creases and then lift it down.

Left inset: Fold in the left side to touch the centre line
Middle inset: Fold in the right side to touch the centre line
Right inset: Open both sides to get a crease

Lift the flap down slowly

Step 12: 

Now lift the sides and fold to touch the midline as shown below. This will be the ears of the Ganesha. Open the flaps to shape the ears.

Left inset: Fold the sides to touch the midline.
Right inset:  Open the flaps to shape the ears

Step 13: 

You can see the trunk emerging as you fold in the sides. Gently lift the trunk and curve it downwards. 

Step 14:
Now you can see the head of the Ganesha with the ears and the trunk. Next, fold in the sides to get the arms. Also, tuck in the bottom part below the trunk.

Left inset: Fold in the sides to get the arms
Right inset: Fold in the bottom part under the trunk

Step 15: 

After you tuck in the bottom part under the trunk and the arms as well, you can fold the bottom side corners backwards. I don't have a picture of that step, but you will note the difference once you fold in the bottom corner at the sides backwards. This what your Ganesha should like finally.

Step 15: Fold in the bottom corner backwards 

Step 16: 

Now you are done. You can mark the eyes, the trunk and the crown as desired with a marker.

The resulting Ganesha that we made is around 120mm x 100 mm in size.

Origami Paper Ganesha of size 120 mm x 100mm

If you enjoyed making paper boats with your kids during the monsoon, this Ganesh Chaturthi, try this Origami Paper Ganesha with your kids at home and see how your kid's face glows with joy as he/she watches the Ganesha emerging out of paper. 

Do post the pictures of the Ganesha you made. We would love seeing it.

Jai Shri Ganesha.

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