Adhi Vinayagar temple, located a few kilometers away from the town of Koothanur in Tamil Nadu, is a renowned temple known worldwide. According to the belief, the idol of Lord Ganesha in this temple has a human face that was originally his before it was replaced by an elephant's head. The deity is worshipped as Nara Mukha Vinayak, meaning Vinayak with the head of a man.
This temple in Tamil Nadu houses a 5-foot-tall deity featuring a Naghabharanam around his waist. It is believed to have been built in the 7th-century and is considered among the oldest temples in the state. This Ganesha form represents his original divine appearance before becoming Gajanana, the elephant-headed god.