Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Other Prominent Deities
Elephant-headed Ganesh is the god of good fortune, remover of obstacles, and patron of
scribes (the broken tusk he holds was used to write sections of the Mahabharata). His an-
imal vehicle is Mooshak (a ratlike creature). How Ganesh came to have an elephant's
head is a story with several variations. One legend says that Ganesh was born to Parvati in
the absence of his father Shiva, and so grew up not knowing him. One day, as Ganesh
stood guard while his mother bathed, Shiva returned and asked to be let into Parvati's
presence. Ganesh, who didn't recognise Shiva, refused. Enraged, Shiva lopped off
Ganesh's head, only to later discover, much to his horror, that he had slaughtered his own
son. He vowed to replace Ganesh's head with that of the first creature he came across,
which happened to be an elephant.
Another prominent deity, Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu sent to earth to fight for
good and combat evil. His alliances with the
gopis
(milkmaids) and his love for Radha
have inspired countless paintings and songs. Depicted with blue-hued skin, Krishna is of-
ten seen playing the flute.
Hanuman is the hero of the Ramayana and loyal ally of Rama. He embodies the
concept of bhakti (devotion). He's the king of the monkeys, but is capable of taking on
other forms.
Among the Shaivite (followers of the Shiva movement), Shakti, the goddess as mother
and creator, is worshipped as a force in her own right. The concept of
shakti
is embodied
in the ancient goddess Devi (divine mother), who is also manifested as Durga and, in a
fiercer evil-destroying incarnation, Kali. Other widely worshipped goddesses include Lak-
shmi, the goddess of wealth, and Saraswati, the goddess of learning.
One of Shiva's sons, Murugan is a popular deity in South India, especially in Tamil
Nadu. He is sometimes identified with another of Shiva's sons, Skanda, who enjoys a
strong following in North India. Murugan's main role is that of protector, and he is depic-
ted as young and victorious.
Ayyappan is another of Shiva's sons who is identified with the role of protector. It's
said that he was born from the union of Shiva and Vishnu, both male. Vishnu is said to
have assumed female form (as Mohini) to give birth. Ayyappan is often depicted riding on
a tiger and accompanied by leopards, symbols of his victory over dark forces. Today the
Ayyappan following has become something of a men's movement, with devotees required
