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AllAboutGods
AboutGods

LordVishnu
Brahma
Hanuman
LordKrishna
MataSaraswati
MataDurga
Indra
MataLakshmi
LordShiva
MataKali
LordRama
Ganesha
Venkateswara
Satyanarayana
Rama
Kartikeya
Gayatri
SriRadha

Allabout Festivals
HinduFestivals
Aryans
CasteSysteminIndia

HinduOfUniverse
IdolsbyMaterial
A wide range of materials are used for making idols. Some of the common
materialsinclude:

StoneIdols
Awidevarietyofstoneisusedformakingidolsof
Hindu gods and goddesses. Stone idols are
worshippedinhousesandtemplestoimprovethe
aura and to invoke the supernatural powers to
bless the natives. Stone idols are washed with
Ganga Jal and abhishek is performed on them,
whichtransformsapieceofrockintoasymbolof
Godhimself.
Soapstone is mainly used for shaping and
carving idols.There are many villages in Bastar
district of Madhya Pradesh, which are known for
carving stone idols and scluptures. The idols are polished with polishing stones also known as
battas by women and children of the village. The soft marble rocks surrounding Bhedagat near
JabalpurinMadhyaPradesharealsousedasanidealrawmaterialforcarving
Basicallyfivetypesofstonesareusedformakingidols.Among these,Rajouriisthemostdurable
stone.ThestonemostsuitableformakingidolsisDingi.ApinkandwhitestonecalledSudapaal,
foundinBastarisprettysoftandiseasilycarvedintoidols.
Therearetwotypesofidolscarvedusingstone.Oneisthetatiyasaaj,whichhastwodimensional
reliedworkandtheotherisAkshang,whichhasthreedimensionalreliefworkonidols.
Varioustypesofidolmadeusingstoneincludes:
LordShiva
LordGanesha
LordVishnu
LordKuber
LordKrishna
LordHanuman
LordRama
GoddessDurga
GoddessLakhsmi
GoddessSaraswati

HinduTemples
ThePanchtantra
Nyaya
Vaisheshika
TheDharmaShastras
PakistanHinduTemple
JatakasTheBuddhistTales
HinduWedding
HinduCulture
HinduNamasteHistory

WoodIdols

Hookah

WoodisextensivelyusedforcraftingbeautifulidolsofHindugodsandgoddesses.Thoughwooden
idolsarerarelyusedforworshippingintemplesandathome,theyaremainlyusedasdecorative
piecesinhouses,andoffices.Theyare also ideal for gift items. Wooden idols are kept as divine
desktopitemsathomeandinofficestobringgoodluckandprosperity.

Om

Therearetwovarietiesofwoodcommonlyusedforcarvingidolsincluding:

Chyawanprash
GayatriMantra

Peepal
Rudraksha
Swastik

Sandalwood:Sandalwood,alsoknownasChandaninHindi,ismuchmorethanapieceoftimber
inIndia.Itisascentedtreeandisbelievedtobeadivinegiftthatisreveredas a sacred object.
SandalwoodisquiteoftenusedforcraftingsacredidolsandprayerbeadsinIndia.

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Tilak
Tulsi
Karma
Moksha

HinduismInformation
TypesofJapaMalas
Shankhas
ReligiousIdols

Rosewood:Itisyetanothervarietyofwoodusedforcarvingidols
ofHindugodsand goddesses.Rosewoodidolsreflectelegance,
beauty and uniqueness in craftsmanship. These idols are
garnishedwithdifferenttypesofintricateworkandart.Rosewood
addsaspiritualvaluetotheidols.
WoodenidolsdepicttheartisticexcellenceofIndianartists.These
idolsareadornedwithexcellentcarvingworksandfinish.Various
colorpatternsarealsousedfordecoratingwoodenidols.
VariousidolsofHindugodsandgoddessesmadeusingwoodare
:

IdolsbyMaterial

LordGanesha
LordKrishna
LordShiva
GoddessLakhsmi
GoddessDurga
GoddessSaraswati

Sphatik
ReligiousPlaces
Yantra/VedicTalisman
ReligiousTemples
ReligiousThreads
IncenseSticks
Rudraksha
HolyPowders&Pastes

FutureInformation
HinglajYatraHistory
HinduismFQA
HinduismHistory
Vedasetc
ShrimadBhagwat
BhagavadGita
Ramayan&Mahabharat

AshtadhatuIdols
Ashtadhatuisaverysacredandsattvic(pure)alloyofeightmetals
namely,gold,silver,copper,zinc,lead,tin,ironandmercury.Ithas
veryhighvalueinHinduism.Ashtadhatuiswidelyusedformaking
idols of Hindu gods and goddesses. The process of making the
alloyisquitedifficultandhenceashtadhatuidolsarerare.
Ashtadhatu idols are made so as to be durable and last years
without noticeable decay. The eight metals are mixed in roughly
equal proportions and the idols that are created are initially of
roughfinish.Alotofpolishingworkisdoneafterwardsin polishing
andtomakeashtadhatuidolsbeautifulandasnaturalaspossible.
Followingidolsarecraftedoutofashtadhatu:
LordKuber
LordVishnu
LordKrishna
LordRama
GoddessDurga
GoddessLakhsmi

HinduismChalisas
DurgaSaptashati
Puranas
SundarKand
ReligiousMantras
ChakrasandMeditation
HinduPhilosophy

BrassIdols

LuckyCharms
SacredMetals
HolyRivers
StreamsofHinduism
SacredHerbs
SacredTrees
HinduGoddesses
HinduGods
IndianGurus
Mantra
Slokas
Pujas
ExecutiveMembers
Advertisements
News&Events
HinduOfUniverseBusines

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and is extensively used for

craftingbeautifulidolsofHindugodsand goddesses.Thenatural
shineanddurabilityofbrassmakesitthemostsuitablematerialfor
makingidols.
The excellent look and resistance to corrosion makes brass an
ideal material for making idols. Brass idols also serve as
decorative items and gift items. Brass idols are mostly given a
lacquered finish or are metal polished to protect them from
oxidationleadingtoblackeningofcolour.
ThedifferenttypesofidolsofHindugodsand goddesses crafted
outofbrassare:

Careers

AmarnathYatra
Aarti&Puja
Bhogi
Baisakhi
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LordGanesha
LordVishnu
LordKuber
LordKrishna
LordHanuman
GoddessSaraswati
GoddessLakhsmi
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Sphatik/CrystalIdols

Dhanteras
GaneshChaturthi
HanumanJayanti
Hinduism
HinduIdeology
KumbhMelainHaridwar
KarwaChauth
MahaKumbhMela
MakarSankranti

SnowcrystaliscalledSphatikanditisatransparent,lustrousand
smoothstone.InIndianastrology,Crystalisusedasasubstituteof
diamondtoappeasetheplanetVenus.Crystalsarealsoknownas
Sphatik.InIndia,quartzcrystaliscalledSphatik.
Crystal idols are ideal as desktop items or for pooja. Sphatik or
crystal is widely used for making idols.They control the negative
energiessurroundinganarea,removebadeffectscauseddueto
Vaastu.Therearevarioustypesofidolsavailablelike:
LordGanesha
LordShiva
GoddessLakhsmi

NaagPanchami
OnamFestival
PitrPaksha
PongalFestival

PushkarFair

Parad/MercuryIdols

RamaNavami
RathaSaptami
Recipes
StoryOfDiwali
SriKrishnaJanmashthami
TeejFestival
TajMahotsav
Ugadi(Ugaadi)
Vishwakarma
VasantPanchami
VaralakshiVratam

Mythologically,ParadorMercuryissaidtobetheseed(sperm)of
Lord Shiva.Ancient scriptures consider Mercury to be one of the
mostpureandauspiciousofallmetals.Paradisametalloid(fluid
metal)andisknowntohavemedicinalandastrologicalbenefits.
According to the Brahma Purana, any individual, male or female
andbelongingtoanycaste,whoworshipsParadidolseverydayis
blessed with worldly pleasures and at last attains supreme
salvation (Moksha). It is believed that the life of a Parad idol
worshiper is full of glory, honor, fame, knowledge, wisdom and a
happysuccessfulfamilylife.
VarioustypesofidolsofHindugodsandgoddessesmadeofparadormercuryinclude:

VaikuntaEkadasi

LordShiva
LordGanesha
LordKrishna
LordHanuman
GoddessLakhsmi
GoddessDurga
LordNandi

HinduFestivalsCalendar
AmarnathYatra
HinduismNewinformation

HinduismCasteTypes
HinduismYatra
FutureNews

ReligiousIdols

HinduOFUniverse
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IdolworshipseemstohavesetitsrootsinHinduismmuch before
Vedicerabegan.TheIndianidolisconsideredasa substituteor
symbol. The statues of God and Goddess are precious for the
devoteesastheybearthemarkofhisLord.Thedevoteefeelsthe
presence of Lord in the image and it represents holiness and
eternalblessings.Madeofvarious materials, idols are worshiped
everywhereinhome,intemplesandanyotherreligiousplace.
StyleofIdols

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Marathastyle:Thestyledatesbackto17thor18thcentury
and in this style of idol making, blocks of stones are
convertedintoidols.
Hoysala style : The idols crafted out of this style usually highlight sharp features,
sophisticatedandornamentedartistryandadistinctstyle.
Tanjorestyle:IdolscraftedoutofthisrepresentthetraditionalTanjoresculptures.
Jaipurstyle:Inthisstyle,whiteMakranamarbleiscartedintoroughlyshapedblocks,which
isfinallyshapedintofiguresofGodsandGoddesses

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HinduGodIdols
Hinduismisknownforthevarietyofgodsand goddesses, who are worshipped in various forms.
Hinduism is believed to be "apauruseya", that is of impersonal origin and so are the Gods of
Hinduism.TheHindugodsandgoddessesareeternalandthoughthedeitiesappeartobedifferent
andindependent,theyarereallyfacetsofthesameSupremeGod.
The main Hindu Gods as is accepted today can be broadly classified as Saiva Gods (Siva, his
consort,hissons,hisotherforms),VaishnavaGods(Vishnu,hisconsort,hisvariousavatharams).

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InHinduism,manyGodsareworshipedandsomeofthemare:

AshwiniKumaras
Ashwini Kumaras are the twin
gods of Hindu mythology. First
physicians/healersofheavenand
earth. The word 'ashwini' means
horsewoman in Sanskrit, and the
word 'kumara' denotes eternal
youth.Sanjna (Lord Surya's wife)
was wandering around the
Universeintheformofamarein
theabsenceofherhusband.Lord
Suryasawthroughher deception
andassumedtheformofahorse.
AshwiniKumarasarearesultofthisunion.
Ashwini Kumaras are associated with the lunar constellationAshwini, which is related to healing
andeternalyouth.Theyaredepictedastwinswiththeheadofahorse,andahumanbody.Theyare
regarded as the embodiments of knowledge and speed. Ashwini Kumaras also represent the
fleetingmomentsbetweennightanddawn(speed),andheralddawn(knowledge).

LordAgni
LordAgni is the also known asAgni dev. He is the young, immortal Lord of fire, and holds the
secondpositioninHindumythologyafterIndra.HewasbornfromalotuscreatedbyBrahma(the
CreatorinHindumythology).Theword'agni'meansfireinSanskrit.Thiswordalsohasitsrootsin
theLatinword'ignis',fromwhichtheEnglishword'ignite'isderived.
Hindu mythology and Vedic scriptures describe LordAgni as red hued, having three legs, seven
tongues, seven hands, and two faces. The two faces are suggestive of his beneficient and
destructivequalities.Sevenraysoflightemanatefromhisperson.LordAgniridesaram,andisthe
creator of a fire weapon called 'agneyastra'. Lord Agni is the
guardianoftheSoutheastdirection.Thethreemukhi(threefaced)
rudraksh bead is the symbol of LordAgni. Like fire that burns all
impurities,thewearerwillbepurgedofallsinsandattainpurityof
thoughtanddeed.

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LordAyyappa
LordAyyappaisacelibateHindu
god.LordAyyappaissaidtohave
beenbornoutoftheunionofLord
Shiva and Lord Vishnu (in His
female form 'Mohini'). Hence, he
is known by other names like
Hariharaputra, Hariharasuthan,
Ayyappan, Manikanta and so on.
Lord Ayyappa is known for his
benevolence. As an infant, Lord
Ayyappa lay on the banks of the
river Pampa. King Rajashekhara,
rulerofPandalamheardhiswails.Sincethekinghadnochildren,hebroughtLordAyyappatohis
palaceandadoptedhim.
Asachild,LordAyyappaimpartedtotheking,theprinciplesofattainingMoksha(salvation).Healso
instructedthekingtoconstructatempleatoptheSabarimalahill.Afterthetemplewasconstructed,
LordAyyappaenteredthesanctumsanctorumandneverreturned.Heissaidtohavemergedwith
the Supreme Power. Lord Ayyappa is worshiped across India, and is the presiding deity of the
SabarimalatempleinKerala(India).

LordBalaram
Lord Balarama is the son of Devaki and Vasudeva. He incarnated as the elder brother of Lord
Krishna.HeisbelievedtobetheincarnationofSheshnaga,ortheserpentonwhomLordVishnu
rests.LordBalaramaisdescribedasfair,andwearingbluegarments.Hisneckisadornedwitha
garlandofforestflowers,andhecarriesaploughinhishand.
Lord Balarama is also considered to be the ninth incarnation (avatar) of Lord Vishnu. He is also
knownbythenameBaladeva,andisthebestfriendofLordKrishna.WithLordJagannath(another
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formofLordKrishna),heincarnatedasBalabhadra.Heisknown
forhisimmensestrength.LordBalaramadenoteseternaltruthand
knowledge. Lord Balarama is also worshiped as 'adiguru' or
SupremeTeacher.

LordBhairav
Lord Shiva incarnated as Lord
Bhairav.
"Bhairava"
means
terrifying, and Lord Shiva in his
fearsome aspect is called Lord
Bhairav. He is pictured with blue
orblackskin,bulgingeyes,anda
mustache. He has a dog as his
divine vehicle. He is usually
associated
with
Tantra.
WorshipingLordBhairavbestows
victoryoverenemies,materialistic
comforts,andsuccess.Theorigin
ofLordBhairavcanbetracedtothelegendofShivaandSati.
Sati's(LordShiva'swife's)fatherDakshaslightedShivabynotinviting him to a yajna which was
attendedbyothergods.LordShivawasenragedwhenSatiimmolatedherselfinthesacrificialfire.
He killed Daksha, and carried Sati's lifeless body around the Universe performing the 'tandava'
dance. Lord Vishnu realized that the end of the world was near. He cut Sati's body with his
Sudarsanachakra,andthepiecesfellinvariouspartsinandaroundIndia.Theseplacescameto
befamousasshaktipeethasorplacesofworshipoftheMother goddess.Sincethen,LordShiva
protectsthesetemplesintheformofLordBhairav.

LordBrahma
The creation of Lord Brahma is stated differently in different
legends.AccordingtoPuranas,heisselfborn(without mother)in
thelotuswhichgrowsfromthenavelofVishnuatthebeginningof
the Universe.According to another legend, Lord Brahma created
himselfbyfirstcreatingwater.
LordBrahmaistheistheHinduGodofCreation,andisthefirstof
member of the Hindu Trinity or Trimurti, the others being Vishnu
and Shiva. He created the Gods and placed them in different
worlds:Agnionearth,Vayu in the atmosphere and Suryainthe
sky.
Lord Brahma is traditionally depicted with four heads, four faces and four arms. Each head
describesoneofthefourVedas.Heisusuallydepictedwithawhitebeard,tomatchtheneareternal
natureofhisexistence.Oneofhishandsisdepictedholdingascepterintheformofaspoon,which
isassociatedwiththepouringofholyGheeoroilintoasacrificialpyre.ThissymbolisesthatBrahma
istheLordofsacrifices.ThesecondhandholdsaKamandalu(awaterpot),whichsignifiesthatitis
theinitial,allencompassingetherinwhichthefirstelementofcreationevolved.TheLordalsoholds
a string of rosary beads that he uses to keep track of the Universe's time. Lord Brahma is
representedholdingtheVedas,andsometimes,alotusflowerinhisfourthhand.
LordBrahma'svehicleisaswan(Hans)whichisknownforitsjudgmentbetweengoodandbad.
LordBrahma'sconsortisGoddessSaraswati,theGoddessofknowledgeandart.

LordBuddha
Lord Buddha is considered the ninth avatar (incarnation) of Lord
Vishnu. He is the founder of Buddhism. "Buddha" means
'enlightened one'. Lord Buddha was born in 560 B.C.
(approximately).TheplaceofhisbirthwasLumbini,nearthecityof
Kapilavastu (now in Nepal). He was born to the royal couple
Suddhodana and Maya Devi. He was named Siddhartha. He is
alsoknownasGautamaBuddha.
LordBuddharealizedveryearlyinlifethatlifeisanillusion(Maya).
Herenouncedtheworldwhenhewastwentyeightyearsoldeven
thoughhewasmarried.HetaughtthepathofNirvana(liberation)
to his father, wife and son before he left his home forever. His
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teachingsincludeahimsa(nonviolence)anddharma(rightconduct).Helefttheworldin480B.C.at
theageofeighty.TheMahabodhiTemple(BodhGaya,India)wasbuilttohonortheplace(andthe
tree)whereLordBuddhaattainedenlightenment.

LordBudh

LordBudhisassociatedwiththeplanetMercury.LordBudhisalso
known as Budha, or Grahapati (lord of the planets). According to
Vedicmyth,LordChandra(theMoon)wasovercomewithluston
seeing Brihaspati's (Jupiter's) wife Tara. Lord Chandra abducted
Tara,andLordBudha(Mercury)istheresultofthisunoin.Thus,it
is believed that the intellect (Mercury) is born out of the mind
(Moon).
Lord Budha is depicted as having four hands, wearing yellow
clothes and ornaments made of yellow flowers. Mercury is also
knownas'grahapati'orlordoftheplanets.LordBudhablesseshis
devotees with wisdom and wealth, and he also removes all evil
thoughts.Heistheguardianofthenorthdirection.Emeraldishisgem,andWednesdayishisruling
day.HerulesthezodiacsignsGeminiandVirgo.

LordChandra
LordChandraisalsoknownasMoon.Heisalsoknownasthelord
ofthestars."Chandra"inSanskritmeans'brightandshining'.Heis
also known as Soma, named after the intoxicating drink of the
gods. Lord Chandra occupies the second position amongst the
nineplanetsorNavagrahas.HeadornsLordShiva'shead.
LordChandrarulesthezodiacsignCancer.Healsorulesoverthe
tides of the sea. His gems are moonstone and pearl. Lord
Chandra's ruling day is Monday. He is the guardian of the
northwestdirection.Hismetalissilver.WorshipingLordChandrais
saidtoproviderelieffromsorrowsandmentalafflictions.

LordDattatreya
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Dattatreya is believed to be
the combined avatar (incarnation) of the Hindu trinity (Brahma,
VishnuandShiva).SageAtriprayedtotheHindutrinity,andwhen
they were pleased with his penance, they appeared before him
andofferedtogranthimaboon.SageAtriaskedforanoffspring
thatwould have their benevolent qualities. Thus, Lord Dattatreya
wasborn.
LordDattatreyaisdepictedashavingthreeheads,symbolizingthe
past,present,andfuture.Histhreeheadsalsosymbolizethethree
statesofconsciousness.Heispicturedwithfourdogsaroundhim,
which represent the four Vedas and his mastery over them. Lord
Dattatreyaisconsideredtheteacherofallgods.Hedispelsallevilinfluences.

LordDhanvantri
LordDhanvantriisthediscovererofAyurveda,andis considered
thephysicianofthegods(liketheAshwiniKumaras).Accordingto
Hindu mythology, Lord Dhanvantri appeared while the primeval
oceanwasbeingchurned.Hebroughtwithhimtheknowledgeof
long life, health, and medicine. When the primeval ocean was
being churned for the Nectar of Immortality, 14 gems were
produced,andLordDhanvantariisconsideredoneamongstthem.
Lord Dhanvantari destroys negativity and blesses his devotees
withgoodhealth.HeisalsoknownbythenameSudhapani,since
heappearedwith the pot of Nectar in his hands. The day of his
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appearanceiscelebratedonthethirteenthdayor'trayodasi'whenthemoonisinitswaxingphase.
Thisdayiscelebratedeveryyear,afewdaysbeforeDiwali/Deepavali(thefestivaloflights).

LordGanesha
In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is one of the most wellknown and
venerated god. Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess
Parvatiwithanelephantinecountenancewithacurvedtrunk,big
earsandaplumpbelly.'Ga'symbolizesBuddhi(intellect)and'Na'
symbolizesVidnyana(wisdom).Therefore,Ganeshaisconsidered
the master of intellect and wisdom. Lord Ganesha rides on or is
attended by a mouse. He is most commonly represented sitting
down,withonelegraisedintheairandbentovertheother.
HeisregardedastheLordofsuccess,wisdomprosperityandthe
destroyer of evils and obstacles. Lord Ganesha is invoked at the
beginningofanyjourney,weddingceremonyandenterprise.
The consort of Ganesha is Riddhi (material abundance) and Siddhi (intellectual and spiritual
power).
Ganeshaidolsarecraftedoutofvariousmaterialsincluding:
Stone
Wood
Ashtadhatu
Brass
Sphatik/Crystal
Parad/Mercury
TheheightandweightofGaneshaidolsvarydependingonthematerialsusedformakingthem.
TherearevariousstylesofGaneshaidolsincluding:
DeepakGaneshaIdol:Inthistypeofidol,LordGaneshaisrepresentedaswearingacrown.Thebaseofthe
idol has five cups or diyas where oil lamps can be lit. These idols are mainly made of brass and look very
beautifulwithanantiquefinish.
Panchmukha Ganesha Idol :Panchmukhi means having five faces. In some ancient scriptures, Ganesha is
depicted as having five heads. This type of Ganesha idol is very popular in South India and is mainly
worshippedforgoodluckandprosperity.Theseidolsarealsocarvedinbrass.
JhoolaLakshmiGaneshaIdol:Thistypeofidolismainlycraftedinbrass,sphatikandparadanddepictsLord
Ganeshaand Goddess Lakshmitogetherinajhoola(swing).Theidolof Lakshmi Ganesha is worshipped on
Diwalinights.LakshmiisregardedastheGoddess ofwealthandGaneshaisregardedastheLordofprosperity
andgoodluck.TheidolofLakshmiGaneshalooksantiqueandalsoservesasanexcellentgiftitemonDiwali
andotherfestivals .

LordGaruda
In Hindu mythology, Lord Garuda is one of the principal animal
deities. He is the son of the sage Kashyap and Vinita (Daksha's
daughter).HeisalsoknownastheKingofBirds.LordGaruda is
thedivinecarrier/vehicleofLordVishnu.Hisspeedofflightmocks
the wind. Lord Garuda is also considered the destroyer of all
obstacles.
LordGarudaispicturedashavingaheadandwingsofaneagle
whilehis body belongs to that of man. He has a white head, red
wings, and a golden body. He was born with extreme hatred for
evil, and it is believed that he wanders around the Universe
devouring evildoers. His hatred for snakes is also well known.
LordGarudaisalwaysworshipedalongwithLordVishnu,andneverasaseparatedeity.

LordGuru

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LordGuruistheplanetofJupiter.HeisalsoknownasBrihaspati
and Devagura. Lord Guru is the preceptor of Indra (king of the
gods), and is the most auspicious of planets. According to the
ShivaPurana,LordGuruisthesonofsageAngirasaandSurupa.
Hehasthreewives,namelyShuba,Tara,andMamata.Thecolorof
LordGuruisyellow,andhealsowearsyellowrobes.
Lord Guru blesses his devotees with strength, knowledge,
longevity, and progeny. He cures ailments of the stomach and
wardsoffsins.LordGuru is also benevolent, and a dispenser of
justice. His metal is gold, and his gem is yellow topaz/yellow
sapphire. His day is Thursday. Lord Guru is the guardian of the
northeastdirection.

LordHanuman
Lord Hanuman is one of the incarnations of Lord Shiva. He is
depictedasamonkeyandisknownforhisbravery,heroicdeeds
and eternal devotee of Lord Rama. The idol of Lord Hanuman
representshimholdingaGada(mace),whichreflectscourageand
bravery along with a picture of Lord Rama tattooed on his chest,
whichsymbolizeshiseternaldevotion.
LordHanumanhasmanynameslike"Mahaveera"(thegreathero
), "Pavansuta" (Son of Air), "Bajarangbali" (one with unlimited
power). The worshiper of Lord Hanuman is always blessed with
pureandunselfishdevotion.
HanumanIdolistheproviderofhope,knowledge,fearlessness,intellectandisasymbolofendless
devotion.HeisthegreatestdevoteeofLordRamaandhasbeengivenaboontobeworshipped
throughallthe"Yugas"(Eras)ofHindutimescale.
TheidolofLordHanumanisusuallymadeof:
Stone
Brass
Parad
TheidolsofLordHanumancomeindifferentheight,weightandbaselength.Theseparametersdependonthe
typeofmaterialusedformakingtheidol.

LordIndra
Indra is the chief god of Rig Veda. Indra is the leader of Devas.
LordIndraisthegodofwar,stormsandthunder,heisstrongestof
all beings and greatest of all warriors. Lord Indra has been the
protectorofGodsandmankindagainsttheevilforces.Possessing
thecelestialweaponVajra,thelightningbolt,LordIndraisknown
astheGodofthunder.Healsohasabow,ahookandanetinthe
battle.LordIndraisalsoconsideredasthecreator,sinceheisthe
onewhobroughtwatertoearth,heisknownasthefertilitygodas
well.LordIndraisalsobelievedtohavethepowertoreviveslain
warriors who had fallen in battle. He enjoys drinking soma. Lord
Indraisveryhandsome,heistheeldestsonofKasyapaandAditi.
HisvahanavehicleisawhitecoloredelephantcalledEravat.

LordJagannath
Lord Jagannath is the Lord of the world. The word Jagannath
literallymeanslordoftheuniverse.LordJagannathisthesymbol
ofuniversalloveandbrotherhood.Jagannathisparticularformof
LordVishnu,ormoreaccuratelythatofLordKrishna.Theimageof
LordJagannathhasnolegsjusthasstumpofhands.Theidolis
blackincolor.LordJagannathisworshipedalongwithhisbrother
Balabhadra and sister Suvadra. Lord Balabhadra is the elder
brother,Lord Jagannath is younger brother and Devi Suvadra is
youngersister.Puri,inOrissaisconsideredtherealabodeofLord
Jagannath. It is believed that Lord Jagannath symbolizes cosmic
zeroandthatLordisomnipotent,omnipresentandomniscient.The
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Jagannathculthaspeopleofallreligionandfaith.

LordKalki
AccordingtoHindumythologyLordKalkiisthetenthandfinalre
incarnation of Lord Vishnu who is not yet born. Lord Kalki is the
protector of good. It is a strong belief according to Hindu
myhthologythatLordKalkitakesbirthinthisplanetinKalyug{time
afterdeathofLordKrishnaaround3000bc}.Klayugisbelievedto
beatimeofwars,deciet,andpeacelessattrocities.Itissaidthatit
isthistimethatLordwillreincarnatehimselfasKalkiandsavethe
worldfrompainandtroubles.TheKalkitempleinJaipuristheonly
temple that is built in the name of an incarnation who is not yet
born. Kalki actually means born of time. It is believed that Lord
Kalkiwillcomeinawhitehorsewithashiningswordinhishand
andwillprotectmankindfromthechaosandevilsofkalyug.

LordKamdev
LordKamdevistheHindugodoflove.Kamdevissymbolizedasa
youngandgoodlookingmanwithwingswhopossessesbowand
arrows. According to Shivpuran, Kamdev is a son meaning a
creation of Bramha, creator of the universe. According to Hindu
mythologyKamdevaisabrotherofPrasuti,theybotharechildren
of Shatarupa, also a creation of Bramha. Lord Kamdev's bow is
made of sugarcane with honeybees sitting on it. The arrows are
beautifullydecoratedwithfivekindsofsweetsmellingflowers.The
stringofthebowismadeofachainofhoneybees.Parrot,cuckoo
andhummingbeesarehiscompanions.

LordKartikeya
KartikeyaisthesecondsonofLordShivaandGoddessParvatior
Shakti.Heisknownbymanynameslike,Skanda,Subramaniam,
Shadanana, Guha, Sanmukha meaning having six faces. Lord
Kartikeyasymbolizesapersonofperfection.HeisthewarGodand
wascreatedbyalltheGodstobringanendtothedemons.Lord
Kartikeyaisverymasculineandfierce.Heisalsoregardedasfire
andisveryfieryinnature.TheLordhasaspearinhishandcalled
Sakti which represents the destruction of evil and with his other
hand he is found blessing his devotees. In south India Lord
Kartikeya is very popular and is known as Murugan. Lord
Kartikeya'svehicleorVahanaisapeacockthathasthecapacityof
killing serpents [representing ego and desires of people] by
grippinginhisfeet.Thusthepeacockrepresentsthe destroyerofharmfulandsensualdesiresof
humans.

LordKrishna

AccordingtovariousHindutraditions,LordKrishnaisregardedas
the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is known for his bravery in
destroying evil powers throughout his life. Lord Krishna is
worshiped by Hindus all across the world. In the Bhagavad Gita,
LordKrishnaisseenastheSupremePersonandthehighestGod.
The Lord is usually depicted as playing the flute (Murali), which
symbolizesspreadingthemelodyoflovetopeople.
In most of his idols, Lord Krishna is also represented with his
childhood devotee Radha. The Lord is usually remembered and
worshipped as RadhaKrishna. The pair symbolizes the eternal
lovebetweenpeopleandgod.LordKrishnaisalsoshownwithhispetcow,hischildhoodfavorite.
LordKrishnaperformedmanydivinesports(leela)duringhischildhood.
DifferenttypesofmaterialsusedforcraftingtheidolofLordKrishnainclude:
Ashtadhatu
Stone
Brass
Parad
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Theheightandweightoftheseidolsvariesonthebasisofthematerialusedforcarvingthem.
TheidolsofShreeKrishnaareavailableinvariousstylesandpostures.Someofthecommonstylesare:
RadhaKrishnaJhoolaIdol
Thisisaverylovelyidol,usuallycraftedinbrassthatdepictsLordKrishnaandhisbelovedRadhatogetherina
Jhoola(swing).Thistypeofidolreflectsauniqueexampleofloveanddevotion.
BabyKrishnaIdol
ThistypeofidoldepictschildKrishnachildhoodwhoisknownforhisnaughtinessandmischievousacts.Inhis
childhood,LordKrishnawasknownasMakhanChor,theonewhousedtostealbutterfromcowherddamsels
inhisneighbourhood.
LadooGopalIdol
LordKrishnawaslovinglycalled"LadooGopal"inhischildhood.This type of idol of Lord Krishna depicts the
childhoodwiththeLordholdingaladoothatsymbolizeshappinessandjoytotheworld.

LordKuber
LordKuber,alsoknownasKuveraisconsideredastheactualGod
ofwealth,moneyandsuccessinIndianmythology.HeistheLord
ofalltreasuresandthegod'streasurer.Kuberisalsoknownasthe
God of Yakshas (savage beings). Kuber is the actual Lord of
Riches in the Indian pantheon (Lakshmi being the goddess of
fortuneofwhichmoneyisagreatpart).
KuberisworshippedasaGodwhoprotectsandconserveswealth
inafamily.ItisbelievedthatworshipingKuberidolregularlyalong
withKuberyantraensuresfastresultsandblessesthenativeswith
prosperity, wealth and goodluck. He is the basis of gain of
unlimitedwealthandprosperity.
AccordingtoancientvedicbooksofRamayana,KubermadetheGoldLanka,whichwastakenby
hisbrotherRavana.AllancienttextsencouragetheuseofKuberSadhanaforthegainofwealth.It
is said that Lord Kuber blesses the Sadhak with material success and wealth. Our Vedas and
ancienttextsencouragetheuseofKubersadhanaforthegainofwealth.
It is believed that there are three main benefits form KuberSadhana. Firstly, when Lord Kuber is
pleased,heblessesthedevoteewith materialsuccessandwealth.Secondly,thereareincreased
chances of getting wealth unexpectedly and suddenly. Thirdly, no matter how much one spends
money keeps flowing in, provided the wealth is used for constructive purposes and not for
destructiveorantisocialactivitiesKuberSadhanaisshortandsimplebutitseffectsareamazingif
onetriesitwithtruebeliefandfaith.
LordKuberaidolisusuallymadeof:
Astadhatu
Brass
Stone

LordKurma
LordKurmaorKoormisthesecondincarnationofLordVishnuin
the form of aTortoise.According to the legend it is believed that
mountainMandarawasusedasachurningstickanditbegan to
sinkintheseabed.ThiscrisismadeLordVishnuassumetheform
of a tortoise. Then Lord dived into the bottom of the sea and his
backservedasthepivotforthechurningstick.Theincarnationin
the form of Kurma symbolizes the development of life. This is so
because when the ability to breathe air and walk out of water
developedhencetheturtlebecamethesymbolofperseverance.

LordLaxman

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Lord Laxman is the younger brother of Lord Rama. His

performanceofdutiesasayoungerbrotheristhatofsacrificeand
superiorcharacter,suchdutiesareactuallydifficulttoperform.Lord
Laxmana was very dedicated and loyal to his elder brother Lord
Rama. In comparison to Lord Rama, Laxmana is shot tempered.
But Laxmana is also considered as a vital element of Mariyada
Purushottam,ashehaddisplayedpresenceofmindandcourage
when Rama had become desperate and angry over the loss of
Sita. In such a situation Laxmana had displayed a matured
behavior and had calmed Lord Rama. Lord Laxmana's life is a
symbolofdutiesperformedbyamantowardshiseldersandalso
depictsthenatureofselflessnessinaman'scharacter.

LordMangal
LordMangal(Mars)isoneofthenineplanetsornavagrahas.Heis
alsoknownbythenamesAngarakaandKuja.According toVedic
mythology, Lord Mangal is born of Sarva and Vikesi (Earth
goddess).Heisassociatedwithstrength,valor,andcourage.Lord
Mangal is the protector of dharma (righteousness), and the
purposeoflife.
Lord Mangal has four hands, and carries a trident and mace as
weapons.Hewearsredornaments.WorshipingLordMangalfrees
onefromskinillnesses,debts,andpoverty.ThegemstoneofLord
Mangalistheredcoral,andhisdayisTuesday.Heistheguardian
ofthesouthdirection.

LordRama

Lord Rama is one of the most commonly adored gods of Hindus

andisknownasanidealmanandherooftheepicRamayana.He
isoneofthemostpopularheroesofHindumythologyandfolktales
inSouthandSoutheastAsia.
Lord Rama is always represented holding a bow and arrow
indicating his readiness to destroy evils. He is also called "Shri
Rama" and is regarded as the most famous incarnation Lord
Vishnu. More commonly he is pictured in a family style, (Ram
Parivar) with his wife Sita, brother Lakshman and devotee
HanumanwhoissittingnearLordRama'sfeet.
RamDarbar
RamDarbarconstitutesofLordRama,GoddessSita,hiswife,LordLakshman,hisyoungerbrother
andhisardentdevoteeLordHanuman.LordRamaisregardedasanincarnationofLordVishnu
asagreatKing.SitaishiseternalconsortandanincarnationofLakshmi.
TheidolofLordRamaisusuallymadeof:
Ashtadhatu
Stone
TheheightandweightofidolsofLordRamavariesaccordingtothematerialusedforcraftingtheseidols.

LordShani

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Lord Shani is one of the navagrahas (nine planets). He is also

referredtoasSaturn.HeisalsoknownasShaneeshwara,Shani
Bhagawan,Saneeswaran,LordSaniandsoon.LordShaniisthe
son of Lord Surya (the sun god).According to Hindu mythology,
afterSanjana(daughterofLordVishwakarma)marriedLordSurya,
shefoundthepowerofhisrayshardtobear.Aftergivingbirthto
threechildren,shedecidedtoleaveforherparents'place.Before
sheleft,shecreatedawomanfromherownshadowandnamed
herChayadevi.LordShaniistheresultoftheunionbetweenLord
SuryaandChhayadevi(alsoknownasChhaya).
When Lord Shani was born, the sun went into an eclipse. Lord
Shaniissaidtobetheenemyoflight.Heisassociatedwiththecolorblack.ThecrowisLordShani's
vehicle.Hisgemsarethebluesapphire(neelam),andallblackgems.Hismetalislead,andheis
thelordofSaturday.

LordSheshnag
Lord Sheshnag is depicted is the divine serpent with a thousand
heads.AccordingtoHindumythology,theworldrestsonthehoods
of Lord Sheshnaga, and when he shakes his head, there are
earthquakes. He is also known as Ananta (eternal) since he is
immortalandisnotaffectedbydeathevenduringthedestructionof
theUniverse.
Lord Vishnu reclines on the coils of Lord Sheshnag in the
Ksheersagar, or the Ocean of Milk. Lord Sheshnag is also
consideredtobethesoulof Lord Vishnu when he incarnated as
LordBalaram.

LordShiva

Lord Shiva is one of the main Deities of Hinduism. He is the

SupremeGodinShaivism,oneofthemajorbranchesofHinduism
practicedinIndia.LordShivaisworshippedastheparamountlord
bytheSaivitesectofIndia.Heisconsideredasthedestroyerand
therestorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality. Lord
ShivaisapartofthetrinityortrimurtiofHindugods.
Eventhoughherepresentsdestruction,LordShivaisviewedasa
positiveforce(theDestroyerofEvil).AccordingtoShaivism,Shiva
isnotmerelyadestroyerbutperformsfivefunctions:
CreatorPreserver
Destroyer
Hidingthesins
Blessing
LordShivaisusuallyrepresentedbytheShivalinga(orlingam),whichisdepictedbyaclaymoundwiththree
horizontalstripesonit,orvisualisedasablazingpillar.
GodShivaisknownbyvariousnames.OneofhisnamesisBholenath,whichmeanstheinnocentGod.Shiva
asRudraisregardedasthedestroyerofevilandsorrow.ShivaasShankara is known as the doerofgood.
LordShivahas"Trinetra"(divinevision).Heisalsoknownas"Nilakantha"(bluenecked).Thisisbecauseofthe
fact that he consumed the poison 'Halahala' to save the world from destruction. Lord Shiva as Nataraja
represents the Divine Cosmic Dancer. Shiva is also known as Ardhnarishvara, which symbolises both man
andwoman.
LordShivaidolsarecraftedoutofvariousmaterialslike:

Stone
Wood
Ashtadhatu
Sphatik/Crystal
Parad/Mercury
TheheightandweightofShivaIdolsarevariableanddependsonthematerialusedformakingtheidol.
IdolsofLordShivaareavailableinfollowingstyle:
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Shiva Parivar is a combination of 5 statues comprising the family of Lord Shiva. It includes Lord Shiva(in the
formofshivlinga), Goddess Parvati,theirtwosonsGaneshaandKartikeyaandShiva'svehiclethe Nandi
Bull.ItissaidthattheregularworshipofShivaParivarresultsinprosperityandgoodhealth.
TheidolofShivaParivarisusuallyavailableinSphatikandParad.

LordShukra
LordShukraisapartofthenineplanets(navagrahas).Heisthe
planet Venus.According to Hindu scriptures, he is born from the
unionofSageBhriguandhiswifeUshana(alsoknownasUsha).
LordShukraisblessedbyLordBrahma(theCosmicCreator),he
showershisdevoteeswithabundance.
Lord Shukra is pictured as a fair god. He has four hands, and is
seatedonawhitelotus.Heridesachariotdrivenbyeighthorses.
Lord Shukra is also known as Shukracharya. He bestows
prosperity, wealth, knowledge, and happiness. Diamond is the
gemofLordShukra.His metals are copper and silver. His ruling
dayisFriday,andheistheguardianofthesoutheastdirection.

LordSkanda

LordSkandaisthespiritualsonofLordShiva.Heisalsoknownas
Kartikeya or Murugan Skanda. Lord Skanda has six faces and
twelve arms. This avtar of Lord was granted by Lord Shiva to
protect the Gods from the Demons. This great son of Lord Shiva
becamethe leader of the celestial forces.The battle was won by
theGodsunder the able guidance of Lord Skanda. The spiritual
significanceofLord Skanda is the supremity of supreme efficacy,
sincereprayerandselfsurrender.

LordSurya
Lord Surya is the ruler of all
planets that rotate around him.
LordSuryaisalsoknownbyother
names like Savitar, Aditya, and
Ravi. He is the son of Sage
Kashyap and Aditi. He is
describedasJagatChakshu(Eye
of the World), andAharpati (Lord
of the Day). The sun's rays
nourishandnurturelifeandliving
beings.Hence,heisdescribedas
'Pranadata'orlifegiver.
Lord Surya is the guardian of the east. He blesses his devotees with good health, fame, and
prosperity.HisrulingdayisSunday.Hisgemstoneistheredruby,andgoldishismetal.Thechariot
ofLordSuryahasonlyonewheel.Itisdrawnbysevenhorsescorrespondingtothecolorsofthe
rainbow.ThecharioteerofLordSuryaisAruna,LordGaruda'sbrother.

LordVaraha
ThethirdavtarofLordVishnuisknownasLordVaraha.Thisavtar
is in the form of a boar who was sent to defeat Hiranyaksha, a
demon who had carried the Earth to the bottom of the cosmic
ocean.Thebattleisbelievedtotakeplaceforthousandsofyears
and Lord Varaha won the battle. Lord Varaha has the face of a
boarandaman'sbody.Theavtardepictsthereconstructionofthe
Earth from a deluge and the establishment of a new cycle. Lord
VishnumarriedBhudevi[Prithvi]inthisavtar.

LordVayu

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LordVayuisthegodofwind.HebelongstotheCosmicTrinityor
Hindu Triad (Sun, Fire, Air), and constitutes one of the five
elementsoftheUniverse,i.e.earth,air,water,fire,andspace.Lord
Vayuissaidtohavebeenbornfromthebreathorlifeforceofthe
Supreme Being. Lord Vayu is also described as 'satataga' (ever
moving),'pavana'(wind),and'gandhavaha'(theperfumebearer).
LordVayuisconsideredthekingoftheGandharvas(spiritsofthe
atmosphere/sky).Heissaidtobefierceandfast.Heroamsallover
theearth,andheavens.LordVayuisalsoamorousandhasarash
nature.HeissaidtohaveblownthetopofthemythicalMountMeru
whichfellintothesea,andisthepresentdayLanka(Ceylon).Lord
VayuisthefatherofLordHanuman.Heistheguardianofthenorthwestdirection.

LordVishnu
Lord Vishnu is regarded as a major god in Hinduism and Indian
mythology.HeisconsideredasthePreserveroftheuniverseand
isthememberoftheTrinityofGodsinHinduism.TheidolofLord
VishnuisrepresentedastheGodhavingfourhands.Thefirsthand
holdsaconchshell(sankha)indicatingspreadofthedivinesound
"Om"thesecondhandholdsadiscus(chakra),whichsymbolises
thewheeloftimethethirdoneholdsalotus(Padma)whichisan
example of glorious existence and the fourth hand holds a mace
(Gada)indicatingthepowerandthepunishingcapacityoftheLord
incasethedisciplineoflifeisignored.
His vehicle is the swiftflying bird Garuda, which is capable of
spreadingVedicknowledgewithgreatcourage.TheconsortofLordVishnuis GoddessLakshmi,
theGoddessofWealth.
AccordingtoHinduMythology,LordVishnuisrepresentedintwopostures.Inone,theGodrestson
thebedofthepowerful,coiledserpent,Sheshnag,whorepresentsthesleepinguniverse.Inanother
form,Lordisdepictedinastandingposture.LordVishnuisalsoknownasHari,theRemover.
Lord Vishnu is most popularly identified with his Avatars (incarnations) especially Krishna and
Rama.HeisalsofrequentlyreferredtoasNarayana.
Vaishnavite Hindus also worship Vishnu in an abstract form (i.e., God with vague form) as a
Shaligramastone.WorshipingtheShaligramaissimilartotheworshipofLingam,aformofShiva.
TheidolofLordVishnuisusuallymadeofthefollowingmaterials:
Ashtadhatu
Brass
Stone
Parad/Mercury
TheheightandweightofLordShivaidolsvariesdependingonthetypeofmaterialusedformakingtheidol.

LordVishwakarma
Lord Vishwakarma is known as the lord of craftsmen. Hindus
worship Lord Vishwakarma as the god of engineering and
architecture. He is the presiding deity of goldsmiths, blacksmiths,
carpenters,masons,andallpeoplewhopossesscraftskills.Lord
VishwakarmaisthesonofLordBrahma,theCosmicCreator.
LordVishwakarmaispicturedwithfourhands.Hecarriesabook,a
vessel,anoose,andcraftsmen'stools.Heisthepersonificationof
allcreativepower.Allchariots,anddivineweaponsofthegodsare
created by Lord Vishwakarma. He built Dwarka, Yamapuri, and
Lanka. He is also said to have created the image of Lord
Jagannathandleftitincompleteduetointerruption.

LordYama

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LordYama orYamraj, is the god of death. He is the sonofLord

SuryaandSanjana.'Yama'meanstwin,andthiscanbeattributed
to Hindu mythology where he is depicted as the twin brother of
Yami(Yamuna).However,'Yama'alsomeans'therestrainer'.Soit
is LordYama who restrains humankind. LordYama is the god of
hell.
LordYamaisshownwithagrimappearancewithaglitteringcrown
on his head. He carries a mace in one hand, and a rope in the
other.Heusestheropetopullthesoulfromthelifelessbody.Heis
also considered as the Lord of Justice, a judge of the dead.
According to the karma of the soul, he decide whether to give
punishment, and the nature of punishment. Lord Yama rides a black water buffalo. He is the
guardianofthesouthdirection.

PlanetKetu
Ketuistheimaginaryheadlessplanetwhichrepresentsspirituality.
Itisthesouthnodeofthemoon.AccordingtothePuranas,afterthe
primevaloceanwaschurned,LordDhanvantriappearedwithapot
of Nectar. This was the Nectar of Immortality. Lord Vishnu was
distributing this nectar amongst the gods, when the celestial
serpent demon Rahu mingled amidst the gods so he could drink
theNectarofImmortality(Amrita).Thesunandmoongods(Surya
andChandra)sawthroughhisdeceptionandnotifiedLordVishnu.
Lord Vishnu cut off Rahu's head in a fit of rage, but Rahu had
alreadydrunktheNectarandwasimmortalized.Thus,hisimmortal
headwasseveredfromtheimmortalbody/tail.RahuandKetuare
theseveredheadandtailofthesamedemon.TheimmortaltailisknownasKetuor dragon tail.
Ketucauseslunareclipse.ThegemofKetuisCat'seye.

PlanetRahu
Rahu is the imaginary planet, the north node of the moon.
According to the Puranas, when the Ocean of Milk was churned,
the Nectar of Immortality was produced. While Lord Vishnu was
distributing this nectar amongst the gods, the celestial serpent
demonRahu mingled amidst the gods so that he could taste the
nectar and attain immortality (Amrita). The sun and moon gods
(Surya and Chandra) saw through Rahu's deception. When they
notified Lord Vishnu, he (Vishnu) cut off Rahu's head in a fit of
rage, but Rahu had already drunk the Nectar and was
immortalized.
Rahu now refers to the head of the demon. It is also known as
'dragonhead'. It is the planet of success. Rahu is associated with the strengthening of personal
power. The gemstone of Rahu is hessonite. Rahu causes solar eclipse. Rahu and Ketu are two
partsofthesamedemon.

HinduGoddessIdols
Hinduismisknownforthevarietyofgodsandgoddesses,whoare
worshippedinvariousforms.AllHinduGodsand Goddesses are
the same Supreme God or divine energy, nameless and without
form. God in the feminine form is regarded as the goddess, the
DivineMotherinHinduism.
In Hinduism, many Goddesses are worshiped and some of them
are:

DeviKurukulla

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Devi Kurukulla is compared to goddessTara, where Kurukulla in

her red avtaar exercises her powers of enchantment and
bewitchment to control the evil spirits, demons, and humans who
work against the humanity and its spiritual evolution. While if
talking in terms of practical magic, then she can bring anything
imaginableunderthe practitioner's power. She has the power to
subjugatethedemonicforces.InTibet,sheisworshipedwhenever
starting a new project for her blessings. Along with goddesses
Manjushri and Sarasvati, she is worshiped by students to get
blessings.
As per mythology, Kurukulla is sixteen years old since sixteen is
considered an ideal number signifying perfection, four times four. She is depicted naked as
unconditionedbydestructivethoughts.Thegarlandmadeofhumanbonesadornsherpersona.She
signifiesthesixthperfection.LikeKali,sheisalsoshowninadancingposeuponamalecorpse,
thus,signifyingheractiveandenergetic&compassionateactivityhighlightedinbothSamsaraand
Nirvana.

GoddessAditi
Aditi,theHindugreatGoddess,isconsideredtheGoddessofSun.
Herattributeishermotherhood.Sherepresentsthewidehorizon.
She is the freespirited goddess andas per the Vedas, she was
once allencompassing. She was known as the goddess of the
past and the future, the life cycle, the seven dimensions of the
cosmos, the celestial light which permeates all things, and the
consciousnessofalllivingthings.Later,shewasknownforgiving
birthtotheAdityas.Thoughsheisalsosaidtohavegivenbirthto
the twelve zodiacal spirits. She is even known as the consort of
Brahma. She is symbolized through the form of a cow as well.
Eventually,Aditiwasdegradedasaguardiangoddesswhohelped
herworshipersfindasmoothpathtowhattheywerelookingfor.

GoddessBhavani
BhavaniinHindumythologyisconsideredasaferocious goddess
ShaktiorDevi.Sheconnotes"giveroflife",nature'spoweraswell
the source of creative energy. She is even known by
Karunaswaroopini, meaning "filled with mercy". The other names
bywhichisknownareTulaja,Turaja,TvaritaandAmba.
She was the tutelary deity of the Maratha leader, Shivaji. Due to
this,sheisworshipedinhighreverencethroughoutMaharashtra.
Legend says that the goddess slained the notorious demon,
Mahishasura who had wrecked havoc upon the devas & the
humans.
Theotherlegendsuggeststhatademoncamouflagedhimselfintheformofawildbuffalo,knownas
Mahisha, & took abode on theYamunachala hill.The goddess slained the demon to reestablish
peace&,thus,atempledevotedtoherwasbuiltonthehill.

GoddessChomolungma
Chomolungma goddess is the name given to Mt. Everest, where
she is supposed to inhabit. She is one of five sisters associated
withmountainssituatedabovesacredlakes,alongtheNepal/Tibet
frontier.Asperthelegend,ChomolungmaorMiyolangsangmaisa
part of a group of wrathful Bon deities, the srungma. She was
subdued by the evangelising zeal of Guru Rinpoche to act as a
servantofBuddhism.Eversince,shehasbecomethesymbolofa
generousbenefactor.
TheSherpasonEverestrituallypaytheirhomagetothe goddess
in order to keep on her good side since anything offensive may
such as morally questionable behaviour can provoke her wrath.
Even in the past, she was seen as the deity of a wealthgiver & thus, she still holds that same
positionintheregion.

GoddessDevi
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Devi is a Sanskrit word meaning Goddess which is synonymous

with Shakti, the female aspect of divinity. In the Shakta tradition,
sheisseenasthedrivingforcewithoutwhichthemaleaspect is
consideredimpotent.Sheisevenknownbymanynamesintheof
the Hindu culture. The Divine Mother has forms like that of the
warriorDurgaandthebloodthirstyKali.Sheatthesametimecan
begentleasParvatiormotheroftheelephantgodGanesha.She
isthebetterhalfofShiva,i.e.Parvati.Deviisconsideredtobethe
"MotherGoddess",thus,meaningthemotherofall.Herrighthand
interprets joy and pain while the left hand means life and death.
Sheisseenasthegodofnatureandlifesinceshebringsrainand
isasaviorasfromdeath.Sheisevenworshipedforhermildand
lovingnature.ShecouldbeterribleasaMotherofDeath.Herdivinevehicleiseitherlionortiger
wheneversheisfightingtheevil.Inanutshell,sheisthegoddessofcreativepowerandrepresents
allwomenintheuniverse.

GoddessDurga
ParvatiistheShakti(power)andconsortofLordShiva,thegodof
disintegration and destruction. A majority of goddesses of
Hinduism are aspects and variations of Parvati. She is known by
different names like Uma, Gauri, Kali, Durga, Haimavati etc. Like
herconsortShiva,Parvatialsohastwoaspects,themildand the
terrible.
TherearethreemajoraspectsofDeviParvatiorShaktiDurga,Kali
and Lalita. Durga and Kali represent the aspects of power of the
goddessandLalitarepresentstheaspectofbeauty.
Goddess Durga is the most widely worshipped aspect of Shakti.
Thegoddessisthereflectionandmanifestationofsupremebeautyanddeadlypowerandhername
issynonymouswiththevictoryofgoodoverevil.The goddessrepresentsthetotalpersonification
powerofgods.Theword"Durga"literallymeansonewhoisdifficulttoapproachordifficulttoknow.
BeingthemotheroftheUniverse,sheisthepersonificationoftenderloveandpossessesdifferent
formsandaspects. GoddessDurgaisthemysteriouspowerwiththecombinationofbothpleasant
andterriblenature.Sheisthepersonificationofknowledge,wisdomandmemoryandisworshiped
forwealthandprosperity.
Accordingtolegends,theGodscouldnotdefeatabuffalodemoncalled"Mahisha"whocouldtake
anyform.LordShivaadvisedallgodstoreleasetheir"Shakti"(power)andfromthecombinedforce
emergedamagnificent,manyarmed goddesscalledDeviDurga.Sheiscalledtheinvincible one
andshedefeatedthedemon"Mahisha"andthussavedtheUniversefromdestruction.
The Goddessisusuallydepictedwitheightortenarms,eachholdingconch,discus,trident,bow,
arrow,sword,dagger,shield,rosary,winecupandbell.Itissaidthateachoftheseweaponswere
giventothegoddessfordefeatingthebuffalodemon.TheGoddessmaybeshownasstandingona
lotusoronabuffaloheadorasridingalion.
TheidolofDeviDurgaareusuallycraftedoutofmaterialslike:
Stone
Ashtadhatu
Wood
Parad
Brass
TheheightandweightofidolsofGoddess Durgadependsgreatlyonthematerialusedformakingtheidol.

GoddessIndrani
Indrani, as the name goes, was Indra's wife & was the queen of
Gods.AspertheearlyVedicaccounts,shewasmerelya female
shadow of him. Sometimes referred to as the goddess of wrath,
IndraniwasthedaughterofademoncalledPulomanlaterkilledby
Indra. She was the epitome of beauty with one thousand eyes.
While according to the later Hindu interpretations, she started
personifyingjealousy&evilintent.Shewasrankedasoneofthe
nineastraldeitieswhowerethehighestofthegodsinsouth.The
divinevehicleforthegoddesswaseitherthelionortheelephant.
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As per the Rig Veda, she is considered to be the most fortunate

femaleasherhusbandwasgrantedimmortality.AccordingtoThe
Taittiriya Brahmana, Indra chose her as his wife from a number of competing goddesses simply
because of her magnetic voluptuous attractions. Though, she has never been held in very high
esteem as a goddess. Indrani is known as Sachi and Aindri as
well.

GoddessKadru
Kadru in mythology is the daughter of Daksha, while the wife of
Kashyapa.AspertheAdiParvainMahabharata,sheisconsidered
tobethemotheroftheNagas.While,accordingtotheRamayana,
itistheotherwayroundwheresheisthedaughterofKasyapa and Krodhavasa, who is another
daughterofDaksha.Thus,shemightbeseenasDaksha'sgranddaughteraswell.
The key point about this goddess is her being a mother of "a thousand powerful manyheaded
serpents, the chief amongst whom were Sesha, Vasuki and many other fierce and venomous
serpents." It is considered twelve according to the Vishnu Purana while forty as per the Vayu
Purana.HeroffspringbearthemetronymicKadraveya.

GoddessKali
Kalior"theblackone"isthe goddesssymbolizingdissolutionand
destructioninHindumythology.Sheisthedestroyerofignorance
who maintains the world order while blesses and frees all those
whoareseekingknowledgeofGod.Hernameisassociatedwith
Agni, according to Vedas, who is the god of fire & is known for
sevenflickeringtonguesofflame.Outofthese,Kaliwastheblack,
horrible tongue. This is considered to be the origin for the name
"Kali", who is the grim consort of Shiva. When talking about her
appearance, then her fearsome baleful eyes, protruding tongue,
andfourarmsalongwithabloodyswordinherupperlefthand&a
severed head in her lower left hand, makes it the most fearful
picture.Shemakesthegestureoffearlessnessthroughherupper
lefthandwhilethelowerrighthandconfersbenefits.Sheisalwaysfounddrapedwithachainof
severedhumanheads&abeltofdismemberedarmsgivesafrighteninglooktoherpersona.Sheis
oftenshowninadancingmodeorinsexualunionwithShiva.Andshestandsuponthesupinefrom
herhusbandtodepictherBhavatariniimage,i.e.theredeemeroftheuniverse.
KaliisknownbynameslikeKalikamata("blackearthmother")andKalaratri("blacknight")aswell.

GoddessKauri
Kauri is considered as the avatar of the goddess Sere. She is worshiped as the Avatar of the
Shadowaswell.Seenastheprotectorofthedarkhours,sheevenrepresentsillusions,deception&
shadows.Shealwaysleftaseriesoflegacywherevershewouldtakebirthasahumanbythename
ofKauriSavina.Herlifesuggeststwophases,asahumblehealeroftheDivineMuselaterreplaced
bythepositionofHighPriestess.ButthenshebecamethepowerfulAvataroftheShadowsandthe
AngelofDarkness.SheisknownbymanynameslikeKauriSavina,AngeloftheMists,ChildThief,
FlayerofMinds,SeeroftheEternity'sEye.Shecouldhearspokenwordswithintheshadowsasper
some belief. One might lose his tongue if he talks ill about the deity. Kauri seldom makes an
appearancewithoutincitingsomeformofchaos.Whileoneisevenblessedbythe goddessifhe
walksintheShadows,thus,gettingthestrengthtofightalltheodds

GoddessKundalini
Kundalini is actually a Sanskrit word which means either "coiled
up" or "coiling like a snake". It emphasizes a more serpentine
nature to the word, the 'serpent power'. The symbolic coiling
snakes is an ancient symbolic representation of Kundalini
physiology. The symbol, however, is believed to have originated
fromHermesandGreekmythology.
Legendsaysthatwhenthe Goddesstraveledupthespinejustto
meet her Divine Mate, that has been seen as the consummated
union of Spirit and Matter. She is known as the Goddess Shakti.
Mythologicalinterpretationofthe goddesssaysthatwheneverthe
Shaktiisawakened, she sweeps us up in her wildest passion to
reunitewithherLordShivainthecrownchakra.ThisMysticalMarriagemetaphoricallysymbolizes
the combining of the male and female energies within our bodies which gives birth to our
multidimensionalconsciousness.Theprocedurehelpsthesoulinlivingitsdivinepurposethrough
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thehumanbeings.
Goddess Kundalini cannot be remembered for curiosity or selfish reasons. The ego of mankind
cannotsurvivetheserpent'swrathofthegoddesswhoseforceisfifthdimensional.Thegoddesshas
beencomparedtoaforestfirewhichburnsupahugeforesttoashes.Anothercomparisonhasbeen
madetoasubmarinefirewhichrisesupintheoceanasfireandrenderstheoceantotallydevoidof
water.Itcanleadtoanearthquakewhenthecentralfireoflanderupts.

GoddessLakshmi
LakshmiisregardedastheGoddessofwealthandgoodfortunein
Hinduism. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu and is said to have
taken different forms in order to be with him in each of his
incarnations.ThuswhenhewasthedwarfVamana,sheappeared
fromalotusandwasknownasPadma,orKamalawhenhewas
theaxwieldingParasuramathedestroyerofthewarriorcaste,she
washiswifeDharaniwhenhewasKingRama,shewashisqueen
Sita.
Theidolof GoddessLakshmiisoftenrepresentedasseatedona
lotus,sometimesbeinganointedbyapairofelephants.Whiteowl
isthevehicleof GoddessLakshmi.The Goddessisworshipedby
allHinduforwealthandprosperity.Itissaidthatthe Goddessblessestheworshiperwithwealth,
prosperityandharmonyinhislife.
TheidolofGoddessLakshmiisusuallycraftedofthefollowingmaterials:
Stone
Brass
Ashtadhatu
Sphatik/Crystal
Parad/Mercury
Wood
TheidolofLakshmicomesinvariousstylesandcombinations.Themostcommononesare:
SriLakshmiNarayanaIdol
LordNarayana,alsoknownasLordVishnu,isregardedasamajorgodinHinduismandIndianmythology.Lord
VishnurepresentshimselfasNarayanabecausehehasgoddess Lakshmiwithinhim.LordVishnu'sconsortis
Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. The Lakshmi Narayan idol is worshipped in Hinduism for peace,
prosperityandtogettheblessingsofLordLakshmiNarayana.
GaneshaandLakshmiIdol
The most important feature of Diwali celebrations is the Lakshmi Ganesha pooja. Goddess Lakshmi is the
Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Lord Ganesha is worshipped first on every pooja and is the God of pure
consciousness,goodluck,knowledgeandwisdom.TheauspiciouspairofLakshmiGaneshidolbringscharm
andgracetoanindividual'sofficeandhome.

GoddessMaricihi
MariciisthegoddessofDawnorSun'sray.TheshininggoddessisaBuddhistastralgoddess.She
isconsideredtobeanavtaarofVairocana,alsohisShakti,aswellidentifiedasabodhisattva,or
buddhadesignate.ShewasthemotherofSakyamuni(aformoftheBuddha).
SungodinHindumythologyisconsideredanequivalentofGoddessMarichi.Sheisoftendepicted
in a threeheaded form, as the Shakti of Hayagriva, beautifully seated on a lotus. Her left head
resemblesapig,whilesheridesinachariotdrawnbysevenboars.Thecomplexionisred,yellow,
orwhite,andsheisflankedbyanarrow,flywhisk,horse'sheadinthehair,needle,prayerwheel,
staff, sword, thread and trident also in threeeyed. Her path crosses the route of the sun while
traveling,thus,becominginvisible.Sheoverseesthirtysixcelestialdeitiesandseventytwoearthly
deities. All these one hundred and eight deities are responsible for showering blessings and
punishing people depending on the karmas from these people's previous lives and their current
lives.
Maricidesignatesademiurge,aproductofthecreatorgodBrahmaaspertheHindumythology.

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GoddessMaya
MayaisconsideredtobethemotherofBuddha,knownpopularly
in the Hindu scriptures as Mahamaya, meaning Great Maya, or
Mayadevi,theGoddessMaya.WhilesheisknownasGutrulmain
Tibetan&QueenMayainEnglish.
MayameansIllusionofaninterplayofSubstanceandEnergythat
gives a feeling that there is something "there". Thus, Mahamaya
actually means The Grandest Deception. Along with Shakti &
Prakriti, Maya makes the powerful combination of the three
"personified" as great goddesses. Life is unimaginable without
them.Still,thehumansrelyheavilyuponMayaasshehelpsthem
tobeperceptible,&thus,accessthereality.
As per the Hindu tradition, the goddess is considered the maidenaspect of Kali. So, she is the
Mahakali,whosymbolizesthegiverofperception.

GoddessParvati
Uma, Lalitha, Gowri, Shivakamini, Aparna Parvati is a Hindu
goddess who is the wife of Lord Shiva and the divine mother of
LordGaneshandLordMuruganasperthehindumythology.She
isalsobelievedtobethedivinesisterofLordVishnu.Accordingto
theShakthi philosophy, she is the divine, the supreme Lord. She
hasbeeneitherrepresentedasShaktiorDurga,albeitthegentle
aspectofthatgoddess.
TherearenumerousformsofParvatiwhichincludeUma,Lalitha,
Gowri,Shivakamini,Aparna,thematernalepithetMataji,andmany
hundredsofothers.
ThegoddessnameisaSanskritwordwhichmeans"mountain".ShewasthedaughterofHimavan,
lordofthemountainsandtheapsaraMena.ConsideredasthesecondspouseofShiva,theHindu
God of destruction and rejuvenation, she is no different from Dakshayani, the former consort of
Shiva.ItisbelievedthatParvatiwasherreincarnatedform.
Parvati is the maiden form of Kali. She is the ultimate power whose hues richness is reflected
throughherdivineattire&herjewels.Herinevitableconnectionwithlife&death,transformation&
cause&effectareallreflectedthroughthekarmicgoldenwheel.

GoddessPrajnaparamita
Prajnaparamita,thefamousBuddhist goddess,isthemostvitalof
all deities. She is the personification of the book of supreme,
absolutewisdom.IntheMahayanatradition,the goddesssignifies
femininity. The text states the fundamentals of Mahayana
BuddhismwhereshehasbeendescribedasSarvabuddhamatri,
"Mother of All Buddhas". She is even considered as the female
Buddha.WhiletheoffspringsarethesurroundingBuddhas.
Identified as the Prajnaparamita book and a vajra, which is a
complexsymboloftheBuddhistuniversality,thegoddessisalways
shownsitting in a lotus position. Supposed to be the goddess of
Transcendental Wisdom, she symbolizes the feminine version of
thesupremeBuddha.

GoddessSaraswati
SaraswatiistheHinduGoddessoflearningandthearts.Sheisthe
daughterofLordShivaandGoddessDurga.GoddessSaraswatiis
first referred to in literature as the personification of the sacred
river,theSaraswati,alsoknownasSarasvati,andisalsoidentified
with Vac, the goddess of speech. In later Hinduism Saraswati is
usually considered the consort of the God Brahma (the
promulgatoroftheVeda),butsheenjoysanautonomousposition
asthepatronessofart,musicandletters.
Itisbelievedthat GoddessSaraswatiendowshumanbeingswith
thepowersofspeech,wisdomandlearning.Thegoddesshasfour
handsrepresentingfouraspectsofhumanpersonalityinlearning
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mind,intellect,alertnessandego.The goddesshassacredscripturesinonehand,alotusinthe
secondhand,whichisasymboloftrueknowledge.Withherothertwohands,thegoddessplaysthe
musicofloveandlifeonastringinstrumentcalledVeena(violoin).GoddessSaraswatiisdressedin
white,whichsymbolizespurityandridesonawhiteswanthatsymbolisesSattwaGuna(purity)and
discrimination.
GoddessSaraswatiisannuallyworshipedwithgreatenthusiasmbyHindustudentsandteachers
alikeattheadventofspring,whentheHinduyearoccursinJanuaryFebruary.

TheidolsofGoddessSaraswatiareusuallycraftedinthefollowingmaterials:
Brass
Wood
Stone
Theheightandweightoftheseidolsdependsonthematerialusedformakingthem.

GoddessSita
Sita,asdescribedbytheRigVeda,wasthewifeofRamawhowas
theseventhavataraofVishnu.Sheisconsideredtobetheavtaar
of Lakshmi on Earth.The goddess is the main protagonist of the
epic "Ramayana".The goddess had the appellations of Bhumija,
Dharanisuta,andParthivi,allconnoting'daughteroftheearth'.Sita
wasthedaughterofBhumidevi&adoptedbyJanaka,thekingof
Mithila.Accordingl,sheisknownbymanynames.SuchasJanaki,
MythiliorMaithili,Ramaa&Vaidehi.
Asperthemythologicalconcept,Sitawasdiscoveredinafurrowin
aploughedfieldbyKingJanaka.ShelatergotmarriedtoRama,
theprinceofAyodhya.
Sita strongly emphasizes the feminine power & that was pretty evident through her every action,
reactioninherlongandarduouslife.Sheisseenasasymbolofpowerbyeveryfemale.

ManasaDevi
Manasaisthegoddessofnagaandfertility.Shefulfillsthewishes
& protects one against snakebite.Associated with the earth and
higher knowledge, she is worshiped mostly in eastern India.
GoddessManasawasthedaughterofsageKasyapaandKadru,
thesisteroftheserpentkingSesha.Shehasthepoweraswellto
cureinfectiousdiseases&showeronewithwealthandprosperity.
Sheisrituallyworshipedwithsacrificesofferedtoherduringrainy
season, since, the snakes are most active in this season.
Sometimes,sheissupposedtobeapreAryangoddess.
LegendhasthatManasaevenrequestedherfather,LordShiva,to
includeherinthepantheon,sothatsheisworshippedbyhumans.
ShivarespondedtoitthatifChand(ofAngakingdom)agreesto worshipher,thenherwishwould
befulfilled.Afteralotoftedious trial,Chandfinallyagreedtoworshipherwithhislefthand.And,
thus,ManasaistheonlyHindugoddesswhotilldateisworshipedbythelefthand.
ManasaDevi'swellknowntemplescanbefoundinHaridwarandChandigarh.

SamshanaKali
Samshana Kali is the mother who dwells there with immaterial
spirits.Sheisthefiercest&darkestformofKali.Sheisknown for
her unrestrained, wilderness & terrifying characteristics. Her
frightening look has the capacity to give heartaches even to the
moststrongestofmen.
Usually, the 'Kali of the Cremation Grounds' is depicted in deep
bluecolorwherethe goddessisshownwithoneface,threeeyes,
and four arms. Metaphorically, her strikingly midnight blue
complexion signifies her immutable & indestructible nature. Her
natureissuchthatsheisbeyondallconcepts&qualities.Shehas
thesamecharacteristicsof goddess Kali.The 'warrior' nature can
neverbeseparatedfromherperson.
The goddessworshipedasthe'GoddessoftheDead'.Sheispopularlyservedbydakinis.Sheis
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seenasthefemaleacolyteswhoseroleistoarrangethefunerals.

ShaktiDevi
Shakti means force, power or energy in Hinduism & she
personifiesthefemaleaspectofGod.Sheisevenreferredas'The
Divine Mother'. The goddess symbolizes the active, dynamic
principles of feminine power. As per Shaktism, she is as the
Supreme Being. There is a counter view as well in other Hindu
traditions where she has been depicted embodying the active
energyandpowerofmaledeitiessuchasVishnuinVaishnavism
or Shiva in Shaivism. As we all know that Vishnu's shakti
counterpart is Lakshmi, with Parvati being the female shakti of
Shiva.
Shakti denotes the eternal and Supreme Power who manifests
energy,andsubstance of everything, and allpervading. She is connected with & identicaltothe
powerofthegods.She,likeothergoddesses,isthesourceoftheuniverse.Sheevenrepresentsthe
violentaspectsofDurgha&KaliaswellthecreativeaspectsofShiva.
AccordingtoTantrismphilosophy,theShaktidefinestheunityofopposites.

TaraDevi
Goddess Tara or Arya Tara, is a female Bodhisattva associated
withTibetan Buddhism. Considered as the "mother of liberation",
she represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.
SheisseenasMahatara,GreatTara,whoisthesupremecreator
andmotherofalltheBuddhasandBodhisattvas.
As per the Hindu Mythology, Tara is the Feminine Goddess
Archetype who governs the Underworld, the Earth and the
Heavens, birth, death and regeneration, love and war, the
seasons, all that lives and grows, the Moon cycles Luna
femininecreation.Sheisagorgeouslookingdeitywhosefavorite
animalsarethesow,mare,owlandraven.Consideredasoneof
themostpopularfigureintheTibetanpantheonofdeities,thenameconnotes'Star'.Sheisoneof
theeightmajoraspectsoftheDivineFemininePrincipleaccordingtotheHinduscriptures.Sheis
seen as a benevolent goddess. She is common in Buddhism, Jainism, and particularly, Tibetan
Lamaismaswell.Shemanifestsasceticism,mysticism,&aprotectorofhumanity.
TaraisknownbynameslikeGreenTara,WhiteTara,RedTara,BlackTara,YellowTara,BlueTara&
CittamaniTara.

UmaDevi
Uma, is considered as the goddess of 'light' or the Lady of the
Mountains.SheisanancientMountaingoddess who imparts the
vitalvirtueofbalancetohumanity.Shehasalwaysbeendepicted
as a beauty with benign power. Often she is known by Parvati,
Ambika, Annapurna, Bhairavi, Candi, Gauri, Durga, Jagadmatai,
Kali,Kanyakumari,Kumari,Mahadevi&SyamaorShiva'sconsort.
Sheisseenasadivinityinherownright.
ThegoddessistheferociousformofDurgaaccordingtotheHindu
scriptures.Shehasbeengiventhetagofamediatorasshewould
always resolve the conflicts of heaven.The daughter of Himavat,
the God of the Great Himalayan Mountains and the heavenly
nymphMena,sheisalsothesisterofthesacredriverGanga.
BengalismainlyconsideredasthecenterofgoddessUma'scult.

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