Murari Pukur Ganesh Pujo Committee 3.51

Ganesha also known as Ganapati and Vinayaka is a widely worshipped deity in the Hindu pantheon.
Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations.
Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles,
As the god of beginnings
he is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies.
Ganesha is also invoked as patron of letters and learning during writing sessions.
Ganesha emerged as a distinct deity in the 4th and 5th centuries CE,
during the Gupta Period,
although he inherited traits from Vedic and pre-Vedic precursors.
He was formally included among the five primary deities of Smartismin the 9th century.
A sect of devotees called the Ganapatya arose, who identified Ganesha as the supreme deity.
The principal scriptures dedicated to Ganesha are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa.