Spiritual World
Gods & Goddesses
Agni
Agni is one of the foremost Vedic deities, the god of fire and the mouth of the sacrifice (yajna). He is the intermediary who carries offerings between gods and humans; his seven tongues are described as seven flames. His presence is essential in the fire of the seven steps at marriage and in Agnihotra ritual — hence fire is treated as the 'first deity' in Hindu rites. The Agni-suktas of the Rigveda and the fire-witnessed marriage vow are examples of rituals built around him.
Gods & GoddessesAnnapurna
Annapurna is the goddess of food and nourishment, a form of Parvati. The name means 'filled with food' — in whose lap there is never a shortage of grain; at her famous temple in Varanasi it is said that Shiva himself dwells there as her companion. Food is the first need of life, so her worship is observed for the relief of hunger and the prosperity of devotees. In many homes the Annapurna Stotra is recited in the kitchen, and feeding others is regarded as her supreme service.
Gods & GoddessesIndra
Indra is the Vedic king of the gods, lord of heaven (Svargaloka) and the deity of rain and thunder. His weapon is the thunderbolt vajra, his vehicle the white elephant Airavata, and the Rigveda describes how he slew the demon Vritra and released the trapped waters. The celestial realm of Kalpavriksha, Kamadhenu, and the apsaras and gandharvas is associated with his capital Amaravati. Though his pre-eminence declined in later Puranas, the word 'Devaraja' remains synonymous with Indra.
Gods & GoddessesKartikeya
Kartikeya is the son of Shiva and Parvati, the six-headed (Shanmukha) commander of the celestial army. According to the Puranas he was born from the gods' longing to slay the demon Tarakasura, and his weapon is the vel (spear); his vehicle is the peacock. In South India he is immensely popular as Murugan, Skanda, and Subrahmanya. In Bengal he is worshipped alongside Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Ganesha in the Durga Puja idol, and the month of Kartik is named after him.
Gods & GoddessesKali
Kali is the fierce form of Shakti, worshipped as the goddess of time and transformation. She is typically depicted with a fearsome countenance, a lolling red tongue, a sword, a garland of severed heads, and standing on Shiva's chest. In Bengal, worship of Kali gained special prominence through the spiritual practice of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Temples like Dakshineswar and Kalighat are major centers of Kali worship. Kali Puja is celebrated on the new moon night of Ashwin (the night of Diwali).
Gods & GoddessesKrishna
Krishna is the eighth avatar of Vishnu; according to the Bhagavata Purana and the Mahabharata, he was born in Mathura, raised in Vrindavan, and later became Arjuna's charioteer and guide at the battle of Kurukshetra, delivering the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. In Bengal, the loving devotion (prema-bhakti) of Radha-Krishna is especially central to the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. His principal festivals are Janmashtami on the dark eighth of Bhadrapada, and Rath Yatra (as Jagannath) on the bright second of Ashadha.
Gods & GoddessesGanga
Ganga is the goddess of the sacred river, worshipped in Hinduism as the purifier of sins. According to the Puranas, when the river descended from heaven through the penance of Bhagiratha, its mighty force was caught in Shiva's matted locks and released gradually onto the earth; hence she is also called Bhagirathi. Bathing in the Ganga is regarded among the greatest meritorious acts of life, and Ganga water is used as a symbol of purity and cleansing. Ganga Saptami, Ganga Dussehra, and the Kumbh Mela are her principal festivals.
Gods & GoddessesGanesha
Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati, known for his elephant head, and is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the giver of success. It is customary to invoke Ganesha first at the start of any auspicious undertaking or puja. Ganesh Chaturthi, on the fourth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada, is celebrated as his birth festival. His vehicle is a mouse, and modak is known as his favorite offering.
Gods & GoddessesChandi
Chandi, or Chandika, is the fierce form of the goddess Durga and the chief goddess of the Devi Mahatmyam (Chandi Path). In this text of seven hundred verses she slays the demons Chanda and Munda and destroys the army that springs from each drop of blood of the demon Raktabija — hence her name Chandi. During Navratri, the Chandi Path on Saptami, Ashtami, and Navami is regarded as especially auspicious, and her worship is common at Shakti Pithas and Durga temples.
Gods & GoddessesJagaddhatri
Jagaddhatri is a serene form of Durga; her name means 'holder of the world' or 'sustainer of the universe'. She is depicted riding a lion, four-armed, seated atop the elephant-demon Karindrasura who is entwined by a serpent. Her puja is held about a week after Kali Puja, on the bright ninth of Kartik, celebrated with particular grandeur in Chandannagar and Krishnanagar (Nadia). This puja's tradition began in the 18th century under Raja Krishnachandra Ray of Nadia.
Gods & GoddessesTripurasundari
Tripurasundari is a goddess of the Shakta-Tantric tradition, one of the ten Mahavidyas; she is also called Lalita, Shodashi, and Rajarajeshwari. 'Tripura' means the three worlds (bhuh, bhuvah, svah) — she is the repository of the beauty and power of all three worlds. Her worship is done in the Sri Chakra (Sri Yantra) through the Sri Vidya system, and she is imagined as an eternally youthful sixteen-year-old goddess. Her worship is especially renowned in South India and Kashmir, and the Lalitopakhyana is told in the Puranas.
Gods & GoddessesDattatreya
Dattatreya is the combined avatar of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, the son of the sages Atri and Anasuya. He is depicted with three heads, accompanied by a cow, a dog, and twenty-four teachers; his highest teaching is collected in the Avadhuta Gita. He is regarded as a preceptor of both Vedanta and tantra, and devotees worship him as the giver of attainments (siddhis). Datta Jayanti, on the full moon of Margashirsha, is celebrated as his appearance festival.
Gods & GoddessesDurga
Durga is the goddess of power and motherhood, said in the Devi Mahatmyam (part of the Markandeya Purana) to have manifested from the combined radiance of the gods to slay the buffalo demon Mahishasura. She is depicted with ten arms bearing weapons gifted by different deities, and rides a lion. In Bengal, the autumn Durga Puja is the year's largest festival, imagining her as a daughter returning from Kailash to her parental home, accompanied by Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartik.
Gods & GoddessesNarasimha
Narasimha is the fourth avatar of Vishnu, in the form of half-man, half-lion. According to the Bhagavata Purana, to protect his devotee Prahlada he emerged from a pillar at dusk and slew the godless king Hiranyakashipu. This form symbolizes the protection of devotion and the destruction of unrighteousness, and bears witness to the Lord's presence everywhere and at all times. Narasimha Jayanti, on the bright fourteenth of Vaishakha, is celebrated as his birth festival.
Gods & GoddessesParvati
Parvati is the daughter of Himalaya and Mena, the consort of Shiva, and the gentle form of Shakti. She is also called Uma, Gauri, and Bhavani, and the Puranas describe her as the rebirth of Shiva's earlier wife Sati. She is the mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya, and during Navratri her nine forms (from Shailaputri to Siddhidatri) are worshipped. As the ideal of marital love, patience, and penance, she is deeply revered in Hindu culture.
Gods & GoddessesVaruna
Varuna is one of the most ancient Vedic deities, lord of waters and the ocean and guardian of Rta (the moral order of the cosmos). He is depicted holding a noose (pasha), imagined to capture wrongdoers, and he is the guardian of the western direction. The connection of Varuna with Rta in the early Rigveda bears witness to a highly developed ethical conception. Varuna yajnas for rain and worship of Varuna at sea pilgrimages are traditional.
Gods & GoddessesVamana
Vamana is the fifth avatar of Vishnu, in the form of a dwarf Brahmin. According to the Bhagavata Purana, he asked the generous king Bali for only three steps of land; when he measured heaven and earth in two steps, Bali offered his own head for the third, and was accordingly sent down to the netherworld. The story symbolizes the meeting of limitless giving with limitless divinity and the victory of humility. Vamana Jayanti is observed on the bright twelfth of Bhadrapada.
Gods & GoddessesVishnu
Vishnu is the preserver of the Trimurti (Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwar), the god who sustains and protects the universe. He is depicted four-armed, holding a conch, discus, mace, and lotus, riding the eagle Garuda; during the intermediate period of creation he is believed to rest on the cosmic serpent Shesha on the ocean of milk. Through his ten principal avatars (from Matsya to Kalki) he protects the world — among them Rama and Krishna, described separately in this app. The Ekadashi fast is observed in his honour, and the Bhagavata and Vishnu Puranas are the principal texts of his worship.
Gods & GoddessesBrahma
Brahma is the creator of the Trimurti, the deity who creates the universe. According to the Puranas he appeared on a lotus rising from Vishnu's navel; his four heads symbolize the four Vedas, and his consort, the goddess of learning Saraswati, is his speech. The Puranas relate that after his creation he came to be rarely worshipped due to a divine curse, and his principal famous temple stands at Pushkar in Rajasthan. In the cycle of creation, preservation, and dissolution, Brahma holds the first place.
Gods & GoddessesBhairava
Bhairava is the fierce and protective form of Shiva, said to guard the eight directions in his eight forms (Ashta Bhairava). In tantric and Shakta traditions he is worshipped as the fierce guardian of Shakti; his vehicle is a dog, and as Kaal Bhairav he is especially revered in Varanasi and Ujjain. Saturday (Shani Pradosha) and Monday are believed to be favourable days for his worship. This destroyer of ego and delusion guards the devotee on the quest for truth.
Gods & GoddessesManasa
Manasa is the goddess of serpents, a very ancient folk deity of Bengal and Northeast India. Puranic accounts describe her variously as the daughter of sage Kashyapa or Jaratkaru and the sister of the serpent kings Shesha or Vasuki. Her chief functions are protection from snakebite and the appeasement of serpents; she is worshipped in a pot (ghat), and her story is told at length in the Manasamangal epic. Her special worship is held around Nag Panchami in Shravana and on sankrantis.
Gods & GoddessesRadha
Radha is the gopi of Vrindavan, Krishna's supreme beloved, and in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition the highest embodiment of devotional love (madhura rasa). The Bhagavata Purana interprets her as the internal blissful energy (hladini shakti) of the divine; in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching, the devotee's ideal is to attain Krishna through Radha's mood. Radhashtami, on the bright eighth of Bhadrapada, is celebrated as her birth festival. The joint Radha-Krishna icon is worshipped throughout Vaishnava circles.
Gods & GoddessesRama
Rama is the seventh avatar of Vishnu and the hero of Valmiki's epic, the Ramayana. Son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya, Rama is worshipped as the embodiment of the ideal son, husband, and king — the concept of 'Ramrajya' is deeply rooted in Indian culture as the ideal of just governance. Ram Navami, on the bright ninth of Chaitra, is celebrated as his birth festival.
Gods & GoddessesLakshmi
Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and good fortune, and the consort of Vishnu. She is depicted seated on a lotus, four-armed, showering gold coins. In Bengal she is especially worshipped as the household goddess (Grihalakshmi) — many homes hold a small Lakshmi Puja every Thursday, and a larger household Lakshmi Puja is held on the Ashwin full moon (Kojagari Purnima), five days after Durga Puja — distinct from the pan-India Diwali Lakshmi Puja.
Gods & GoddessesShiva
Shiva is one of the Trimurti (Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwar), worshipped as the god of dissolution and the supreme yogi. He is typically depicted with matted hair, three eyes, a serpent around his neck, and a crescent moon on his head, and is also widely worshipped in the form of a lingam. Maha Shivaratri, on the dark fourteenth day of Phalguna, is his principal festival, believed to commemorate the marriage of Shiva and Parvati.
Gods & GoddessesShitala
Shitala is the goddess who cures smallpox and skin fevers, especially revered in Bengal and North India. She is depicted riding a donkey, holding a winnowing fan and sometimes a broom — symbols of sweeping away disease. Her name itself means 'cool' or 'cold'. Her puja is held in the hot season, especially on Shitala Shashthi (Jamai Shashthi), and offerings are generally vegetarian and cooling in nature.
Gods & GoddessesShashthi
Shashthi is the goddess of children and protection in childbirth, immensely popular in Bengali homes. The sixth lunar day is hers, and in folk tales such as 'Shashthi'r Golpo' she is the guardian of children; within the Nabapatrika the banana plant (Kalabou) is regarded as a form of Shashthi. On Jamai Shashthi in Vaishakha and other shashthi festivals her puja is held for the well-being of newborn children. As the deity presiding over the protection of children from fever and sudden illness, she is the goddess of mothers' prayers.
Gods & GoddessesSaraswati
Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music, art, and wisdom, described as the consort of Brahma. She is depicted clad in white, holding a veena, and riding a swan. Saraswati Puja is held on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Magh (Vasant Panchami) in schools and homes, and many families also perform a child's first-writing ceremony (Hatekhori) on this day.
Gods & GoddessesSurya
Surya is the sun god, the source of light and life for the world. He is depicted riding a chariot drawn by seven horses, driven by Aruna; the Puranas name his consorts as Usha and Chhaya. He was among the chief deities of the Vedic age — the Gayatri Mantra is addressed to the sun. In the Ramayana the Aditya Hridaya hymn gives Rama strength in battle. The temples at Konark (Odisha) and Modhera (Gujarat) are famous centres of solar worship, and Surya Namaskar is a well-known daily practice.
Gods & GoddessesHanuman
Hanuman is the supreme devotee of Rama and a hero of immense strength, the son of the wind god Vayu and Anjana. According to the Ramayana he crossed to Lanka to find Sita, brought the Sanjeevani mountain to save Lakshmana, and played a key role in the burning of Lanka; blessed by Sita, he is said to be immortal (Chiranjeevi). He is specially worshipped on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and his other name is Bajrang Bali. This symbol of strength and humility is also worshipped across India as 'Balaji'.