Tirupparaittathurai — less-known Vishnu of Tamil Nadu
Mookambika as Sri-Chakra-pīṭha of Kerala-Karnataka border
Ādi Śaṅkara — 8th c. founder of Advaita Vedānta
God of Fire — Messenger Between Worlds
Ahobilam — 9 Narasimha shrines on one mountain
Aiyaṉār — regional protector-god of Pudukkottai
Aiyyanār — the horse-riding boundary-guardian
Swami Samartha — 19th c. Dattātreya-avatar
Akshardham — world's largest Hindu temple complex
Alaṅguḍi — Navagraha Guru (Jupiter) sthala
Tirukkurukur / Ālvārtiruṉagarī — birthplace of Nammalvar
Amarnath — the natural-ice liṅga of Kashmir
Lord of Amarnath
Ambājī Mātā — one of 51 Śakti Pīṭhas
Ambājī — the supreme Gujarati Mother
Mother Goddess
Āngāḷamman — the body-mother of villages
Aṅgāḷamman — goddess of cremation grounds
Son of Anjana
Annapūraṇi — "food-mother"
Annapūrṇā — the food-giving goddess of the Andhra coast
Celestial Nymph
Aranmula Pārthasārathy — Pamba-river Krishna-Arjuna
Third Pandava
Agni Liṅga — fire-element
Guardians of Directions
Eight Mothers
Aṣṭavināyaka — 8 Ganesha pilgrimage of Maharashtra
Assi — where Tulsīdās wrote Rāmcaritamānas
Attukāl — the women's-only temple of the world's largest women's gathering
Avinashi-appar of Avinashi — the Revival Shiva
Kanak Bhawan — the golden palace of Rama-Sita
Ayodhyā — Sapta Mokṣapurī #1
Ayodhya Vaidyanatha as Divya Desam
Rāma Janmabhūmi — Divya Desam + new consecration 2024
Lord of Ayodhya
Village Sovereign — the meditating warrior of the Tamil boundary
Hariharaputra — the celibate god of Sabarimala
Kedārnāth — Shiva at 3,583m, 5th Jyotirlinga
Rāmdev Jī Pīr — deified 14th-century saint of Rajasthan
Badrinath — Vishnu meditating in the Himalayas (Vada-Madurai)
Nāra-Nārāyaṇa — where Vishnu's twin-forms performed tapas
Badrīnātha — Char Dham + Divya Desam
Lord of Badrinath
Bagalāmukhī — Mahavidya, the Stopper of Enemies' Speech
Fertility Goddess
Bahucharā — goddess of fertility, transgender-rites
Lord of Knowledge
Baijnāth — 12th-c. Shiva of Kangra
Lord of Animals
Ashtavinayak — one of eight sacred Ganeshas of Maharashtra
Kedāreśvara — Kāśī-Kedarnāth link
Banaśaṅkarī — Chalukya-era mother
Forest Goddess
Śītalā — smallpox-and-cool mother of eastern India
Sevālāl Mahārāj — Banjara (Lambadi) guru-saint
Banke Bihārī — the dancing Krishna of Vrindavan
Forest Goddess of Chamba
Tribal Sanctuary Deities of Barnawapara
Barong — benevolent lion-spirit of Bali
Basara — only Sarasvatī shrine in South India
Belur Math — the monastery of Swami Vivekananda
Tribal Deity
Bet Dwaraka — Krishna's residence beyond the Rann
Bhadrāchalam — Rama in the forest by the Godavari
Reṇukā-Bhadrakālī of Mahūr — full Śakti Pīṭha of Maharashtra
Ravidās — the 15th-c. Dalit-saint-poet of Banaras
Kōttiyūr Bhagavatī — Dakshina Kashi Shiva-Shakti
Fierce Form of Shiva
Bhairavī — fifth Mahavidya, the Terrifying One
Devotional Deity
Danteśvari satellite shrine of Bastar
Bhārat Mātā — the personification of the nation
Second Pandava
Bhīmaśaṅkara — Sixth Jyotirlinga
Fierce Guardian
Sūrya — the sun, supreme in the Tamil harvest festival
Ghost Spirit
Ghost Lord
Bhūmikā — earth-mother of Konkani Saraswat community
Bhūtanātha — Lord of the Spirits, pan-Konkan guardian
Bhuvaneśvarī — Mahavidya, Ruler of the Worlds
Bijlī Mahādev — Shiva of the lightning-liṅga
Lord of Lightning
See main karni-mata-deshnoke
Village Hermitage
Birajā Devī — one of 51 Śakti Pīṭhas
Forest Goddess of Sundarbans
Sisa Pedan — Bonda of the Koraput highlands
The Creator — God of Creation
Brahmacharini — The Ascetic — Day 2 of Navratri
Brahmani — First of Ashta Matrika
Brajeśvarī Devī / Kangra Devī — Himachal Śakti Pīṭha
Great Lord
Guru of Gods — Planet Jupiter
Kesi Ghat — Krishna-Yamunā pilgrimage
Buḍhi Ṭhākurāṇi — the Old Goddess of Berhampur
Caitanya — the Bhakti-movement founder-saint, incarnation of Krishna
Chāmuṇḍā — the mother-goddess of Kangra valley
Fierce Form of Durga
Chamunda (Matrika) — Eighth Matrika — fierce-slayer form
Goddess of Chamundi Hill — royal deity of Mysuru
Chāmuṇḍi — the tutelary goddess of the Mysore Wadiyars
Chaṇḍī Devī — triumvirate with Mansa and Maya
The Moon God — Lord of Mind & Emotions
Chandraghanta — Moon-Bell — Day 3 of Navratri
Village Sage
Pārthasārathy — Vishnu as Arjuna's charioteer
Chhattarpur — 2nd largest temple complex in India
Chhaṭhī Maiyā — Sun-mother of Bihar
Chhathi Maiya — the Sun-Mother of Bihar & Mithila
Chinnamastā of Rajrappa
Mask Dance Deity
Ākāśa Liṅga — space-element / Lord of the Cosmic Dance
Kaṇṇagi — Silappatikāram heroine deified
Chintpurnī — Chinnamastā's Himachal shrine
Ashtavinayak — one of eight sacred Ganeshas of Maharashtra
Cintapūrṇī Devī — goddess who fulfils all wishes
Chitrakoot — where Rama, Sita and Lakshman lived 11 years
Citrakūṭa — sacred mount where Rama lived in exile
Rājarājeśvarī-Saraswatī-Lakshmi in one day, 3 forms
Raṇchoḍrāy — Krishna who ran from battle to love
Dakshineswar — where Ramakrishna saw Kāli
Kali of Dakshineswar
Dakshineswar Temple Complex
Dantēśvarī Māī — clan-goddess of the Bastar Raj
Danteśvari — the kul-devī of Bastar
Goddess of Dantewada
Airāvateśvara — UNESCO Living Chola Temple
Dattātreya — trinity-in-one at Mahur, one of his sapta-pīṭhas
Devasenā — Murugan's first consort
Hilltop Shrine Deity
Kushmeshwar — the wish-fulfilling goddess of Balaghat
Forest Deity
Dhārī Devī — fierce protector of Uttarakhand
Dharma Ṭhākur — folk deity of Bengal and Bihar
Dharmarāj — the tribal Bengali village deity
Lord of Dharma
Dharmeś — a Bhojpuri-region folk god, deified hero
Dhumavati — Mahavidya, the Widow Goddess of the Void
Divya Desams — The 108 Temples of Lord Vishnu
Goddess of Dongargarh
Draupadi — worshipped as an independent village goddess in Tamil Nadu
Queen of Indraprastha
War God
Durga Puja — Kolkata's UNESCO-listed urban religious pilgrimage
The Divine Mother — Warrior Goddess
Durgā-amma — the coastal Karnataka village goddess
Kalyana-narayana — Vishnu's wedding-form at Dwaraka
Dwarkadhish — Krishna of Dwaraka
Dvārakā — the seventh Mokṣapuri
Dwarka — Lord Krishna's Divine Capital
Dvārakādhīśa — Krishna's kingdom-capital as Divya Desam
Dwijing — Bodo goddess of the Aie River
Rūm — the primordial being of the Lepcha people
Pṛthvī Liṅga — earth-element
Eknāth — 16th c. Vārkarī saint, author of Eknāthī Bhāgavata
Ekvira of Karla — Kuladevata of the Koli and Agri Communities
Boundary Goddess
Emoinu — the goddess of wealth and the household hearth (Meitei)
Ettumānnūr — second of 108 Kerala Shiva temples
Chaturdaśa — the 14-god pantheon of the royal Tripura
Gaḍhadā — where Svāmīnārāyaṇ lived 29 years
Gajānan Mahārāj — 19th c. Marāṭhī saint
Celestial Musician
Ganesha of Sri Lanka
Lord of Beginnings — Remover of Obstacles
See gangotri-ganga main
Gaṅgā at Daśāśvamedha — Varanasi's supreme ghāṭ
The Sacred River Goddess
Second great Chola temple — Rajendra Chola
Village Goddess
Gangamma — the firebrand goddess of Tirupati
Gaṅgā — the heavenly river descending to earth
King of Birds — Vehicle of Vishnu
Ghṛṣṇeśvara — Twelfth and final Jyotirlinga
Ghughutī — the "bird-festival" goddess of Kumaon
Ashtavinayak — one of eight sacred Ganeshas of Maharashtra
Hidimbā Devi — the Pandava-era goddess of Kullu Valley
Feminine Divine
Folk Hero Deity
Gokarṇa — where Ravana stopped with Atma-linga
Golū Devtā — the justice-deity of Kumaon
Justice God of Almora
Gorakhnāth — 11th c. Nātha yogic master
Govardhan Parikrama — 21-km sacred circumambulation
Govind Dev — Krishna as supreme deity of Amer-Jaipur
Khaṇḍobā of Tulajapur — Latur district
Village Deity
Ghṛṣṇeśvara — 12th of the 12 Jyotirlingas, adjacent to Ellora
Folk Hero God
Guhyeśvarī Mātā — the Secret Goddess, Śakti Pīṭha of Kathmandu
Gulikan — god of inauspicious moments, kāla-siddha
Saint of Mantralaya
Guruvāyūrappan — the Krishna of Kerala's Guru-Vāyu temple
Lord of Guruvayur
Mixed Religious Site
Halakki tribal female-centric Earth Mother deity
City of Hampi
Sugriva & Hanuman of Anegundi — original Kiṣkindhā
Yantrodhāraka — the Hanuman installed by Vyāsarāja
Jākhū — 108-ft Hanuman atop Shimla's highest hill
Mehandipur Hanuman — the "exorcism Hanuman"
Sālāsar Hanuman — the beardless Hanuman of Shekhawati
The Devoted Monkey God — Symbol of Devotion
Hanumān-garhi — Hanuman's fort at Ayodhya
Harbhujī — Rajasthani folk-god who prophesies
Hardaul — the tragic prince deified in Bundelkhand
Haridwar — the first of the 7 Sapta-Moksha-Purīs
Māyāpurī / Haridwar — Sapta Mokṣapurī #3
Hayagrīva — one of the last Buddhist-Hindu co-worship shrines
Royal Goddess of Manali
Hiṅglāj Mātā — Pakistan Śakti Pīṭha
Huligemmā of Huligi — fierce Shakta of Koppal
Mountain Vishnu
Ḍāgunji — rare 2-handed Ganesha of Uttara Kannada
Igguttappa — kul-devatā of the Kodava
King of Gods — God of Thunder & Rain
Indrani — Seventh Matrika — Indra's shakti
Kanni-māṟ — the Seven Virgin guardians of the Irular tribe
Jagaddhātrī — the bearer of the universe
Universal Mother
Snana Yatra — bathing festival of Jagannatha
Guṇḍicā Mandir — the "aunt's" temple of Puri
Ranchi Jagannātha — diasporic temple of the Odia merchants
Lord of the Universe — the wooden deity of Puri
Lord of Jageshwar
Eklingji — Shiva as the supreme of Mewar kings
Harmandir Sāhib — central Sikh shrine
Sant Jñāneśvara — author of the Jñāneśvarī at age 21
Jogaṇiyā Mātā — the nine virgins of Rajasthan
Jyotibā — Maharashtra folk-god
Jwālāmukhī — the goddess who IS a flame
Jwālāmukhī — the Flaming-Mouth Goddess
Jwālāmukhī — tongue-pītha of Satī
Goddess of Flames
Kāla-Bhairava — chief-of-police of Varanasi
Sant Kabīr Dās — the 15th c. weaver-poet-saint
Kabir — The 15th Century Sufi-Bhakti Saint of Varanasi
Kadampuzha — Durgā as archer of the forest
Kāla Bhairava — Kotwal (police chief) of Kashi
Lord of Kashi
Kālacakra — the Buddhist "Wheel of Time" teaching
Vāyu Liṅga — air-element
Kalaratri — Dark Night — Day 7 of Navratri
The Dark Goddess — Time & Liberation
Māriyamman of Samayapuram — North Tamil Nadu's great goddess
Kāḷiyamman — Tamil village form of Kāḷī
Kali of Kalighat — Shakti Peetha of Sati's Right Toe
Goddess of Power
Odisha Folk Deities
Kaliyugavaradan — the boon-giver of the Kali age
Kālkājī — ancient Delhi Kālī shrine
Kalki — tenth avatar of Vishnu, the Future Horse-Rider
Vishnu as the Handsome Lord of Alagar Koyil; Meenakshi's elder brother
Kāli-gambāḷ — Shiva's consort in Chennai
Kalpeśvar — 5th and only year-round Pañca Kedar
Kāḷūbāi — the dark goddess of the Western Ghats
God of Desire — Lord of Love
The Wish-Fulfilling Cow
Kāmākhyā — the menstruating goddess of Nilachal Hill
Goddess of Desire — Shakti Peetha of the Yoni
Kāmākhyā — additional: the rare 3-day Ambubāchī
Kamalā — tenth Mahavidya, Lotus Goddess
Jvara-hareshwara of Kanchi — fever-remover
Goddess of Kanchipuram
Metrali-eswarar — the "upper-floor" Shiva of Kanchi
Kāñcīpuram — Sapta Mokṣapurī #5
Thirukkalvanoor — Vishnu the "handsome thief"
Thiru-kāragam — Vishnu standing in a kārakam (mṛdaṅga/hourglass pose)
Thiru-kārvānam — Vishnu of the "dark form"
Thiru-neeragam — Vishnu in the water
Nilāthingal-thuṇḍam — Vishnu of the moonbeam
Thiru-ooragam — Vishnu's second Kanchi Trivikrama
Pāṇḍava-dūta — Krishna the messenger of the Pāṇḍavas
Thiru-velukkai — Vishnu who acts as the devotee says
Ulakaḷandhar — Vishnu as the cosmic strider
Kailāsanātha — earliest Pallava stone temple
Varadarāja — one of Kanchi's 3 canonical Divya Desams
Kañjanūr — Navagraha Śukra (Venus) sthala
Goddess of Wealth
Seven sisters — the Kanni cult of the Western Tamil country
Kanyakā Parameshwari — virgin-goddess of the Komati community
Kanyakumari — where India ends and the ocean begins
Kanyākumārī — goddess of the southernmost cape
Kapālīśvara — Shiva of Mylapore, Chennai
Karṇī Mātā — the "rat-goddess" of Bikaner
Goddess of Rats
The Divine Warrior — Son of Shiva
Karumāriyamman — the dark goddess of rain
Black God
The Black Lord — guardian of Ayyanar's court
Pasu-pateeswarar — Lord of the beasts
Goddess of Wealth
9th of the 12 Jyotirlingas
Lord of the Universe of Varanasi
Kashmir Shaivism
God of Kataragama
Hero-deity of Kathivanur — deified warrior
Fire Goddess
Katyayani — the goddess Gopis worshipped to win Krishna
Katyayani — Born of Sage Kātyāyana — Day 6 of Navratri
Kaumari — Third Matrika — Kartikeya's shakti
Kāverī — the sacred Tamil-Kannada river source
Kaḻicīrāma Viṇṇagaram — Kazhi-Shirama Vishnu
Kedar-Gaurī — Shiva-Shakti jointly
Lord of the Himalayan Hump — Jyotirlinga of the Char Dham
Kīḻpeṟumpalliyam — Navagraha Ketu sthala
Ketheeswaram — Shiva near the ancient port
The South Lunar Node — Spirit of Liberation
Kandariya Mahādev — the masterpiece of Khajurāho
Mārtāṇḍa Bhairava — Shiva as warrior-pastoralist lord
Martanda Bhairava — Warrior-God of the Deccan Shepherds
Śyām Bābā — Barbarika's deified head, Kṛṣṇa's blessing
Kheer Bhawani — Kashmiri Hindu tutelary goddess
Kheteśvar — modern Marwari folk-saint god
Khoḍiyār — the lame goddess, patron of Saurashtra cattle-rearers
Mother of the Herders
Celestial Being
Celestial Being
Kodungallūr — ancient Sakta shrine of the former Chera capital
Deity of Rohila
Mallikārjuna Mahādeva of Komuravelli — warrior-pastoralist Shaiva folk-god
Konarak — the Sun Temple
Koṇārka Sūrya — chariot-temple of the Sun
Lord of the Hill
Koṇeśvara — Lord of the East of Sri Lanka
Bharata of the four Pandavas at Kūḍalmāṇikyam
Kottiyoor — 28-day temporary-forest-shrine
Kula-devata Krishna — the family deity of many Gujaratis
Janmasthan — the exact birth-cell
Krishna river source + 4 other river-sources
The Dark Lord — Supreme Deity of Love
God of Wealth — Keeper of the Cosmic Treasury
Shiva at the coastal Karnataka
Kukke Subrahmaṇya — serpent-god temple of Karnataka
The kula-devatā concept — the personal family deity
Kumbhakoṇa-īśvara — temple of the cosmic pot
Tiger God
Krishna as Kurmi kuladevata
Jyotisar — where Krishna gave the Gita to Arjuna
Kushmanda — Cosmic-Egg Creator — Day 4 of Navratri
Divine Child
Kuṭralanātha of Kuṭralam — Shiva at the great waterfall
Lakṣmī-Kubera — the wealth-goddess + god-of-treasury
Goddess of Wealth, Fortune & Prosperity
Guardian in Chamoli
Liṅgarāja — Harihara Shiva of Bhubaneswar
Liṅgarāja — King of Liṅgas, presiding Shiva of Odisha
Lingayat Tradition
Great Goddess
Mā Tāriṇī — the coconut-goddess, patron of Odia prosperity
Madhva — 13th c. founder of Dvaita Vedanta; Krishna-mutt founder
Madhyamaheśvar — 4th of the Pañca Kedar
Kallaḻagar — the Stone-Handsome Lord of Alagar Hills
See main thiru-koodal-azhagar-madurai
Mīnākṣī-Cokkanātha — the heart of Tamil Shaivism and Shaktism
Sundareśvara — consort of Meenakshi at Madurai
The Eight Temples — unified royal-ritual geography of Nayak Madurai
The Warrior of Madurai — guardian hero-deity
Ashtavinayak — one of eight sacred Ganeshas of Maharashtra
Mahagauri — Great Fair One — Day 8 of Navratri
Bhasma Āratī — unique 4am ash-ritual
Mahākāleśvara — Third Jyotirlinga, Bhasma Aarti
Mahākāleśvar — Time-Lord Shiva at Ujjain Jyotir-liṅga
Lord of Time — Jyotirlinga of Ujjain
Melas
Karvir Nivasini — The Great Goddess of Kolhapur
Ratangarh Mātā — Shakti shrine of Datia
Mahāmāyā of Raipur — 18-armed form of Durga
Mahāmāyā — ancient Chhattisgarhi mother-goddess
Pratāp — 16th c. Rajput hero
Supreme Folk Deity of Dehradun
Maheshwari — Second Matrika — Shiva's shakti
Mailāra Liṅgeśvara — Karnataka variant of Khandoba
Cattle Guardian
Majuli — the Neo-Vaishnavite island monastic tradition
Male Mahādeśvara — hill-Shiva of the Kuruba shepherds
Additional Viṭṭhal satellite shrines in Marathwada
Mallikārjuna — Second Jyotirlinga
Lord of the Jasmine
Manakāmanā Devī — the Wish-Fulfilling Goddess of Nepal
Manasā — the snake-goddess of Bengal
Mansā Devī of Haridwar — atop Bilwa Parvat
Manasā Devī — snake-goddess of Bengal
Snake Goddess
Mandapam Amman — goddess of the Rameswaram port
Maṇḍara — the mountain used in the Churning of the Ocean
Maṅgaḷā Devī — the auspicious presiding goddess of Kakatpur
Maṅgēśa — supreme Konkani Shiva
Lord of Mangeshi
Manikarṇikā — Varanasi's cremation ghat
Mañjunātha — Shiva; the "dharma-house" temple with 800-year Jain trusteeship
Mansā — wish-granting goddess above Haridwar
Mansā Devī — the Panchkula Shakti Pīṭha
Disease Goddess
Māriāi Āī — Maharashtrian village-goddess
Māriyamman of the four-marble seats
Village Protector
Dark Goddess
Mātaṅgeśvara — only living temple of the Khajuraho complex
Mātaṅgī — Mahavidya, the Outcaste Goddess
Keśava Deva — Krishna's janmasthān temple at Mathura
Lord of Mathura
Mathurā — Sapta Mokṣapurī #2
Matsyendra-nātha — guru of Gorakhnāth, founder of Kaula-yoga
Peacock-riding Ganesha — First of the Ashtavinayak
Fish-Eyed Goddess of Madurai
Meera Bai — The Princess Poet-Saint of Mewar
Mīrā — the 16th c. Rajput Krishna-bhakti poetess
Mehājī — Rajput folk-warrior-god
Mother Goddess of Gujarat
Meldī — goddess of Gujarati Pāraḍī and Vaghri communities
Mhāḷsā — Konkan goddess, wife of Khandoba and Ravalnath
Mūkāmbikā — goddess of the three goddesses combined
Pañca-Bhūta — Ether, Air, Fire, Water, Earth
Goddess of the Vāṇiyans of North Malabar
Lord of the Munda
Munīśvaran — muni-god of the Tamil countryside
Lord of the Hill
Munneśvarar — one of Shiva's five ishvarams in Sri Lanka
Muruḍēśvar — 249-foot Shiva statue on the sea
2nd of the 6 Padai Veedu — Murugan at the sea-shore
Mutharamman — the pearl-mother of the Pandya country
Muthappan of Parassinikadavu — the Theyyam god who is always available
Parassinikkadavu Muthappan — the non-Brahminical forest-god of North Malabar
Goddess of Rain
Nāgapūṣaṇī — Śakti Pīṭha in Sri Lanka
Serpent Deity
Serpent Goddess
Serpent Cult
Nāgeśvara — Jyotirlinga near Dwarka
Devaraja-perumal of Naimisharanya — forest of recitation
Naiṇā Devī — Punjab Śakti Pīṭha
Goddess of Eyes
Fourth Pandava
Lord of Nallur
Namdev — Varkari Saint and Bhakti Poet of Maharashtra
Nāmdev — 13th c. tailor-saint
Saint Namdev
Nanda Devī — patron goddess of Kumaon
Goddess of Nanda Peak
Nandagaon — Krishna's childhood home
The Sacred Bull — Vehicle of Shiva
Tirunelli — Kerala Char Dham of Vishnu
Lord of Nanjangud
Tiru-nāraiyūr — Vanjulavalli Tāyār temple
Pānakāla-narasiṁha of Maṅgaḷagiri
Achankovil Narasimha — in the Malayala Malai
The Man-Lion Avatar of Vishnu
Narasimhi — Sixth Matrika — Narasimha's shakti
Village Vishnu
Bhuvaneśvara — secondary shrine at Omkareshwar
Narmadā — "virgin"-river source at Amarkantak
Source of the Godavari — Brahmagiri Peak
Panchavaṭi of Nashik — Rama's forest-exile home
Lord of Dance
Śrīnāthjī — 7-year-old Krishna of the Pushtimārga
Alwarthirunagari — birthplace of Nammāḻvār
Nava Tirupati — Thenthirupperai
Nava Tirupati — Thirukkolur
Nava Tirupati — Thirukkulandhai (Perungulam)
Nava Tirupati — Thirupperai (Srivaikuntam taluka)
Nava Tirupati — Varagunamangai
Navagraha — the 9-planet temple of Assam
The Nine Planetary Deities
Man-Lion
Ochira Parabrahma Kshetra — formless-worship Shaiva temple
Oṁkāreśvar — island-liṅga shaped like the Oṁ symbol
Lord of Om
Oppiliappan Koil Thiruvinnagar
Orchha — Rāma as king of Orchha, the only temple where Rama is worshipped as KING
Pābūjī Rāṭhauṛ — 14th-century Rajput deified hero
6th Padai Veedu — Murugan of the ancient fruit grove
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 1
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 10
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 11
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 12
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 13
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 14
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 15
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 16
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 17
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 18
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 2
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 3
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 4
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 5
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 6
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 7
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 8
18th-step tradition at Sabarimala — step 9
Lord of the Lotus
Pākhangbā — the primordial serpent-deity of the Meitei
Third Padai Veedu; Murugan-as-renunciate with staff
Palani Murugan — 3rd of the 6 Padai Veedu
Pandi Muneeswaran — fierce Shaiva-folk protector of Madurai
Panna — Bundelkhandi Shaiva + diamond heritage
Paramapadam — the Supreme Abode, Vaikuntha
Paraśurāma — sixth avatar of Vishnu, the Axe-wielding Brahmin
Pārthasārathy — Krishna as Arjuna's charioteer
The Divine Mother — Consort of Shiva
Paśupatinātha — Lord of All Creatures, Nepal's national deity
World Peace
Sixth Padai Veedu — where Murugan as boy humbled Avvaiyar
Pēchi Amman — Forest-Mother of the Tamil hills
Guardian Goddess of Graves
Peddamma — the "great mother" of the village
Grandmother Goddess
Periyaṇṇan — the Elder Brother guardian of southern Tamil Nadu
Malai-thungi-natha of Kongu Nadu — "Shiva who cradles the mountain"
Patṭīśvara of Perur — Shiva of the five-legged calf
Bandit Queen
Phra Phrom (Thai Brahma) of the Erawan Shrine
Piḍāri — the boundary-mother
Piḍāri — guardian mother
Village Goddess
Poleramma — the great goddess of Andhra-Telangana
Lord of the Downtrodden — Shiva as the Outcaste
Prayāgrāj — confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati
Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa & Sītā-Rām of the Prem Mandir
Hungry Spirit
Pṛthvīrāj — 12th c. Rajput king, folk-hero
Jagannātha — the "Lord of the World" of Odisha
Pūrṇagirī — one of 51 Śakti Pīṭhas
Pushkar — one of only 3 Brahmā temples in India
Malappuram village-mother
Rādhā — the supreme goddess of bhakti, at her birth-town
The Divine Consort — Symbol of Devotion
Raghunāthjī — Rama as king of Kullu
Lord Rama
Lord of Kullu Town
The North Lunar Node — Shadow of Ambition
11th-c. temple of the red-stone
Chinnamastā — one of 10 Mahāvidyās, self-decapitated goddess
Chhinnamastā — the self-decapitating goddess of Rajrappa
Midnight Mother — Tamil gramadevata of sudden afflictions
Rām-Darbār at Panchavaṭī
Rāma Janmabhoomi Mandir — consecrated 2024
Rām Tīrath — where Sita took refuge
The Ideal King — Avatar of Vishnu
Sītā Kund — the birthplace of Sīta in the Janakpur region
Ramdev-ji — common folk-god of Hindu and Muslim both
Ramayana Pilgrimage — Sacred Sites of Lord Rama
Lord of the Poor
Lord of Rameshwaram
Rameswaram — 11th of the 12 Jyotirlingas + Char Dham
Rām-liṅga Bābā — Bastar tribal protector
Ravāḷanātha — pan-Konkan village-god
Reṇukā / Yellamma — mother-goddess of the Deccan matrilineal tradition
Renuka of Matrusthan — Mother of Parashurama, Third Sister of Maharashtra
Rishikesh — gateway to Himalayas + global yoga
Rudranāth — Shiva's face form
Kerala-Tamil Nadu-Karnataka pilgrim pathway to Sabarimala
Lord of Sabarimala
Sabarmatī — Gandhi's Ahmedabad ashram
Fifth Pandava
Saint of Shirdi
Friend of Women
Samaleśvarī — presiding goddess of western Odisha
Samaleśvarī — tutelary goddess of western Odisha
The Rain and Pox Mother at Samayapuram
The largest tribal gathering in Asia
Sammakka-Sārakka — tribal goddesses of Medaram, mother and daughter
Sāntērī — anthill-goddess of the Konkan villages
Goddess of the Seven Peaks — the Half Shakti Peetha of Vani
Kumbakonam Sārangapāṇi
Sarasvatī at the Bhīmaśaṅkar sacred sources
Goddess of Knowledge, Music & Arts
Sarhul village-spirits of the Ho, Santal, Oraon, Munda
Sāteri (Śāntā-durgā) — the village-mother of Konkan
Saura — the Saurian tribal icon-wall paintings
Sattanathar of Seerkazhi — 3 shrines in 1
Thoniappar of the divine boat
Shailaputri — Daughter of Mountain — Day 1 of Navratri
Lord of Saturn
Karmic Lord of Justice — Planet Saturn
Shani Shinganapur — the "no-doors" village
Śāntā-Durgā — Konkani Shakti-pitha
Shantiniketan — Tagore's Visva-Bharati Ashram
Lingayat Saints
Śāradā Mātā — one of 51 Śakti Pīṭhas
Sāī Bābā — the syncretic 19th–20th c. Maharashtra fakir-saint
Guardian of Renuka Lake
The Destroyer — Supreme Ascetic
Goan Goddess
Lord of Sharadapeeth
Guru of Demons — Planet Venus
Shyama Shastri — The Third Trinity Composer of Kanchipuram
Siddhidatri — Giver of Siddhis — Day 9 of Navratri
Mumbai's beloved Siddhi-vināyak
Giver of Siddhi — Second of the Ashtavinayak
Siṁhādri — Narasimha of the Lion Hill
Lord of the Lion
Silambarasī — guardian of the waters
The Ideal Consort — Wife of Rama
Goddess of Smallpox
Lord of Sivasagar
Skandamata — Mother of Skanda — Day 5 of Navratri
Someśvar — Moon-Lord Shiva of Kumaon
1st of the 12 Jyotirlingas — oldest, most-destroyed-and-rebuilt
Bhālka — where Krishna left his earthly body
Lord of the Moon
Kodungallūr Bhagavatī / Kāḷī
Kannappa — the hunter-devotee
Indigenous Spirits
Goddess of the World
Bhagavān Rāmānuja — 12th c. founder of Śrīvaiṣṇavism
Śrī Vaikuṇṭham (first of Nava Tirupati)
Rāhu-Ketu parihara-kṣetra
See main kalahasti-vayu-linga
Lord of Kalahasti
Śāradā — Saraswati as divine patron of Advaita
Śrīraṅgam Raṅganātha — first and foremost of 108 Divya Desams
Bhramarāmbā — Śakti Pīṭha paired with Mallikarjuna
Mallikārjuna — Shiva at the Nallamala mountain Jyotirlinga
Mountain Goddess
Subhadrā Devī — sister of Jagannath and Balabhadra
Lord of the Night
Handsome Lord; Sundara Pandya Shiva of Madurai
Sūryanār Kōyil — Navagraha Sun-deity temple
Sun God of Konark
The Sun God — Source of Life
4th Padai Veedu — where Murugan taught Shiva
Fourth Padai Veedu; Murugan as his father's teacher
Lord of Surla
Tamil Hindu Deities in Sri Lanka
Tanot Mātā — the goddess who saved India in 1965
Ugra Tārā — second of the 10 Mahavidyas
Tārakeśvara — the principal Shaiva shrine of West Bengal
Lord of the Star
Tārāpīṭh — 51 Śakti Pīṭha, Bamakhepa's seat
Tārā — the fierce Tantric mother of the Birbhum grove
Tārā Tāriṇī — twin sister-goddesses, one of 4 Ādi Śakti Pīṭhas
Tejājī — 11th-century Jat folk-hero
Bṛhadīśvara — Chola masterpiece, UNESCO
Theyyam — the North Malabar ritual-dance tradition
Divine Dance Form
Tingaḷūr — Navagraha Chandra (Moon) sthala
Thiru-kadithanam — Vishnu of Chengannur region
Sowriraja of Thirukkannapuram — Krishna's long-haired form
Koodal Azhagar Koil
Ashtabujagaram of Kanchi — eight-armed Vishnu
Tiruchendūr — Second Padai Veedu of Murugan by the Bay of Bengal
Tiruccengoḍu — Ardhanārī temple on hilltop
Saraṇātha of Thirucherai (3rd variant)
Saranatha — Vishnu of Kaveri-wedding
Saranatha — Vishnu the shelter-giver
Thiruchittrakuta — twin of Chitrakuta
Parimala-ranganatha of Thiru-indalur
Yoga-Narasiṁha of Sholinghur
Bhaktavatsala of Thirukannamangai — the lover of devotees
Loganatha of Thirukkannangudi — Vishnu lord of the world
Neelamegha of Thirukannapuram-II
Annyur-natha of Thirukanur
Gopalakrishna of Thirukavalampadi
Varadaraja (Devaraja) of Kanchi — great Vishnu of Tondai-mandalam
Amṛtaghaṭeśvara of Thirukkadaiyur — Shiva who defeated Yama
Tirukkalanthar — Shiva who conquered Kala (Time)
Vedagiri of the Two Eagles
Veera-sthana of Thirukkandiyur
Sivalokanathar — Shiva who opened heaven
Avinashi-appan — the imperishable Shiva
Vedagiriśvara of Thirukkazhukunram — Shiva of the Eagle Hill
Chokkanathar — Shiva as golden Lord
Jagatrakshaga of Thirukkoodalur — Vishnu who saves the world
Azhagiya Nambi of Thirukkurungudi — the handsome Lord
Koneswarar — Shiva at the sacred mountain of Sri Lanka
Sārangapāṇi adjunct shrine at Kumbakonam
Thayumana-swamy of Thirumalpuram — "the Shiva who became the mother"
Rājagopāla of Thirumandangudi
Prāṇanātheśvara of Thirumangalakudi
Vamadeva — one of the 5 faces of Shiva
Vedaranyeswarar of Vedaranyam — "the forest where Vedas hid"
Vaidyanāthar — the "divine physician" form
Satyamūrti — cave-Vishnu of Pudukkottai
Kālamegha of Thirumoghur — Vishnu as protector of Andal
Soundararajan of Thirunagai (Nagapattinam)
Tiruṇāgeśvaram — Navagraha Rāhu sthala
Tirunakkara Shiva — ancient Kottayam Shaiva
Tirunakkara — Kottayam royal temple
Tirunaḷḷār — Navagraha Śani (Saturn) sthala
Kalyāṇa-sundarar — Shiva of the Divine Wedding
Vinnagaraperumal — Vishnu of the heavens
Nachiyar Koil — where the goddess takes precedence over the Lord
Nambinayaki-Siddinathar of Thirunaraiyur
Siddhi-vināyaka of Thirunaraiyur (Nachiyar Koil) — Shiva shrine
Thirunavaya — Vishnu at the confluence of Bharatappuzha
Neithana-nathar — Shiva of the lotus-stamen
Nellai-appar of Tirunelveli — the paddy-field Shiva
Pattu-nathar — Shiva of the silk weavers
Arul-vallar — Shiva of the ancient clay river-bank
Apatsahayar of Thirupazhanam — Shiva the helper in distress
Pālvaṇṇa-nāthar — the milk-white Shiva
Vīḍi-vīṭangar of Thiruppanandal — the tilted liṅga
Tirupparkadal — Vishnu reclining on Ananta
Pavalavanna — coral-coloured Vishnu of Kanchi
Avinashi-natha of Thiruppukkoliyur
Puṣpavaneśvara of Thiruppuvanam — the Flower-Forest Shiva
Kaisina-vendan of Thirupulingudi
Kalyana Jagannatha of Thirupullani — Rama's chosen shrine
Punnai-vana-nathar of Thirupunavasal
Pushpavaneswarar — the flower-forest
Pushpavaneswarar — flower-forest (distinct from Thirupundhuruthi)
5th of the 6 Padai Veedu — where Murugan married Valli
Thiruthanigai Shiva (adjoining Murugan Padai Veedu)
Pāla-sama-nātha of Thiruthuraipoondi
Govardhana-giridhari — Krishna lifting Govardhana
Aiyyārappar of Thiruvaiyāru — confluence of five rivers
Tiruvaiyāṟu — Shiva of the 5 rivers
Sri Vallabha of Thiruvalla
Bilvāraṇyeśvara of Thiruvallam
Shiva of the Veeraraghava precinct — Thiruvallur
Appu Liṅga — water-element
Akilandeshwari (Ambal) of Jambukeshwara
Padmanābha of Thiruvananthapuram — Kerala's presiding Vishnu
Mahadeva of the Old Chera Capital
Mahādevā of Tiruvañjikkalam — Shiva of old Chera capital
Vanji-natha of Thiruvanjiyam
Ambalappuḻa — Paradise porridge of Krishna
Thyagaraja of Tiruvarur — capital Shiva
Tiruvārūr — great Chola Nayanar birthplace
Adikeshava of Thiruvattaru — 22-ft reclining Vishnu
Madhyarjuneshwarar of Thiruvidaimaruthur
Devanātha of Thiruvayindirapuram
Sastha (Ayyappa) of Thiruvegappura
Pundarīkākṣa — white-rock Vishnu
Tiruvellaṟai — Pundarikaksha Perumal
Kola-Vāmana of Tiruvelliyaṅgudi
Vedapureeswarar — Shiva of the Vedic yajna
Tiruvenkāṭu — Navagraha Budha (Mercury) sthala
Swetaranyeswarar — Budha's remission temple
Mahāliṅgeśvara of Thiruvidaimaruthur — "central" of the three
Ādipurīśvara of Thiruvotriyur
Thrikkakara — Vishnu as Vāmana, origin of Onam
Festival of Kerala
Tiruvekkā / Tirukkōvalūr — cave-Vishnu of Villupuram
Tirukkaṇṇapuraṃ — Vishnu as Sauri Perumal
Tirukkaṇṇamaṅgai — Vishnu as Abhishekavalli's consort
Tiruppullām Pūtaṅkuḍi — Vishnu with his 4 Pancha Vyuha forms
Sārangapāṇi — Vishnu of the mythical Kumbha city
Tirukkuṟuṅguḍi Nambiyār — dwarf-form Vishnu of Tirunelveli
Tirukkuṟuṅguḍi — Nambiyār Vishnu of the dwarf-body
Tirukōṭṭiyūr — site of Ramanuja's secret-mantra revelation
Pāñcarātra — the specific ritual tradition of Vishnu temples
Tirumala Bālājī — the world's richest temple
Balaji — Lord of the Seven Hills
Tirumāl Iruñcōlai — Kallazhagar (Madurai hills)
Tirumaḻicaiyāḻvāṉ — where 6th-c. Alvar was born
Tirumōgūr — where Mohini bestowed amṛta
Tirumukkūṭal — three-river confluence Vishnu
Lord of the Ship
Nellaiappar — Lord of the paddy-fence
Ksīrābdhinātha — Vishnu reclining on the Milk-Ocean
Tirupparankundram — First of the Six Abodes (Āṟupāḍai Vīḍu)
Fifth Padai Veedu — where Murugan married Valli
Aruṇāchaleśvara — Agni Liṅga + Tevaram
Lord of Fire
Tiruvaṉantapuram Padmanābha — wealth-vault Vishnu
Vedapureeswarar — Shiva of the Vedic scholars
Tiruvellaṟai — ancient white-rock Vishnu
Lord of Three Worlds
See main nashik-trimbakeshwar-panchvati
Trambakeśvara — Tenth Jyotirlinga, source of Godavari
Tripurā Sundarī / Ṣoḍaśī — third Mahavidya, Supreme Beauty
Sant Tukārām — the farmer-saint of Maharashtra
Tukaram — The Saint Who Brought Bhakti to Maharashtra
Saint Tukaram
Tuḷjā Bhavānī — the sword-giver of Shivaji
Tuḷjā Bhavānī — Kuladevī of Chhatrapati Shivaji
Bhavani of Tuljapur — Kuladevata of the Maratha Empire
Sant Tulsīdās — 16th c. author of Rāmcaritamānas
Tungnāth — 2nd of the Panch Kedar, 3,680m altitude
Distinct anantashayana form at Udupi
Krishna of Udupi's "Kanakana-kindi" darśana
Lord of Udupi
Harsiddhi — Vikramāditya's ista-devi
Avantikā / Ujjayinī — Sapta Mokṣapurī #6
Lord of Umananda
Undavalli — rock-cut 7th c. Vishnu
Uṟaiyūr — old Chola capital, Nachiyar's birthplace
Northern Goddess
Vaṭakkunnāthan — 8th c. Kerala-style Shiva temple, first of 108 Kerala Shaiva
Lord of the North
Vehicle Deity
Baidyanātha — Jyotirlinga of Jharkhand
Vaikkatṭ-appan — Kerala-style Shiva with Vaikom Ashtami
Tirupperai — one of Nava Tirupati
Vaishnavi — Fourth Matrika — Vishnu's shakti
Vaiṣṇo Devī — the Triguṇa goddess of Trikuṭa
Mata Rani — Mother of the Cave
Vaidyanātha — Navagraha Aṅgāraka (Mars) + healing-Shiva
Vaidyanātha — Shiva the divine physician
Vaḷḷi — Murugan's second consort
Vāmana — fifth avatar of Vishnu, the Dwarf-Brahmin
Vāṉamāmalai / Nāṉkuṇerī — Vishnu as Deivanayagan
Ashtavinayak — one of eight sacred Ganeshas of Maharashtra
Boar Avatar
Varahi — Fifth Matrika — Varaha's shakti
City of Temples
God of Cosmic Order & Water
Serpent King
God of Wind — Lord of Prana
Vedānta Deśika — 13th–14th c. polymath of Śrīvaiṣṇavism
Veṅkaṭeśvara pilgrimages at satellite temples across India
Ashtavinayak — one of eight sacred Ganeshas of Maharashtra
Goddess of Vijayawada
Vindhyavāsinī Devī — Goddess of the Vindhyas
Virūpākṣa — Shiva of Vijayanagara capital
Mountain Vishnu
Vishnu of Sri Lanka
The Preserver — Supreme God of Hinduism
Theyyam form of Narasimha — Vaishnava Theyyam of North Malabar
Viṭhala — Hampi musical-pillars temple
Viṭṭhala — the brick-standing Vishnu of Maharashtra
Vithoba of Pandharpur — the Warkari god
Lord of Vrindavan
Waghoba — the Warli-tribal tiger-guardian
Yadādri (see main entry yadagirigutta-narasimha)
Yādādri — the newly-rebuilt Telangana Narasimha
Yaganti — 5.5-ft Nandi that "grows"
Nature Spirit
Nature Spirit
Lord of Death — The First Mortal
See yamunotri-yamuna main entry
The Sacred River Goddess
Yamunā — sister of Yama, the cleansing river
Yellammā / Reṇukā of Saundatti
Yellamma / Reṇuka — the mother goddess of northern Karnataka
Village Guardian
Anuradhapura — ancient Buddhist capital of Sri Lanka
Tirucciṟai Viṇṇagaram — Vishnu of Arthagirinathar
Ganapatya Dharma
Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Dharma
Sanātana Dharma
Kaumara Dharma
Neo-Vedanta
Shaiva Dharma
Shakta Dharma
Smarta Dharma
Saura Dharma
Religions of Sri Lanka
Vaishnava Dharma
The Cosmic Dance — Chidambaram's Hall of Consciousness
The Lord of Dwarka — Western Char Dham
Jyotirlinga — The 12 Sacred Lingams of Light
The Monolithic Mountain — Śiva's Himalayan Abode Carved from Stone
Kashi Vishwanath — The Golden Temple of Lord Shiva
Sūrya's Chariot — The Sun Temple of Konark
Kumbakonam — The City of Ancient Temples and Carnatic Trinity
The Fish-Eyed Goddess — Living Heart of Madurai
The Fish-Eyed Goddess of Madurai
Rāmanāthasvāmī — where Rāma worshipped Śiva
Shakti Peethas — Goddess Shrines Where Sati's Parts Fell
The Temple by the Sea — Pallava Granite at the Edge of the Bay
Sringeri — The Sharda Peetham of Adi Shankaracharya
The Reclining Vishnu of Srirangam — Foremost of the 108 Divya Desams
Tirumala — Saint Annamacharya's Sacred Compositions
Tirumala Tirupati — The Richest Hindu Temple
The Lord of Seven Hills — Kaliyuga Vaikuntha
Tiruvaiyaru — Saint Purandara Dasa's Sacred City
Tiruvaiyaru — Saint Tyagaraja's Final Resting Place