BELIEF IN GANESHA OF CULTURAL MANAGEMENT STUDENTS AT SUAN SUNANDHA RAJABHAT UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The objectives of this research are: ( 1) to study the historical background of Lord Ganesha, (2) to examine the behaviors related to the worship of Lord Ganesha, and (3) to analyze the factors influencing the worship of Lord Ganesha. The sample group in this study consisted of 130 students from the Cultural Management Program at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, selected through purposive sampling. A questionnaire was used as the main research instrument for data collection. The findings revealed that: (1) the worship of Lord Ganesha in Thai society originated from Brahman-Hindu traditions, where Lord Ganesha is revered as the remover of obstacles and the god of arts and wisdom; ( 2) most worshippers pay homage to Lord Ganesha on important religious occasions, offering flowers and garlands, mainly praying for financial prosperity, with CentralWorld being the most popular worship site; and ( 3) the factors influencing the worship of Lord Ganesha are categorized into five dimensions: belief, sacredness, devotees, environment, and location.