Devata

Hindu Deitiesदेवी-देवता

Choose a deity to find their mantra and story, and every prayer, festival and temple guide for them on The Hindu Book.

7 prayers · 4 festivals · 18 temples Ganesha श्री गणेश Remover of obstacles Visit Ganesha page → 18 prayers · 7 festivals · 94 temples Shiva भगवान शिव Mahadev, the auspicious one Visit Shiva page → 11 prayers · 9 festivals · 39 temples Vishnu भगवान विष्णु Preserver of the universe Visit Vishnu page → 10 prayers · 10 festivals · 33 temples Krishna श्री कृष्ण Teacher of the Gita Visit Krishna page → 6 prayers · 6 festivals · 10 temples Rama श्री राम Maryada Purushottam Visit Rama page → 8 prayers · 1 festival · 10 temples Hanuman श्री हनुमान Devotee of Rama, giver of strength Visit Hanuman page → 28 prayers · 9 festivals · 52 temples Durga माँ दुर्गा The Divine Mother Visit Durga page → 6 prayers · 4 festivals · 9 temples Lakshmi माँ लक्ष्मी Goddess of wealth and grace Visit Lakshmi page → 5 prayers · 1 festival · 4 temples Saraswati माँ सरस्वती Goddess of knowledge and the arts Visit Saraswati page → 4 prayers · 5 festivals · 9 temples Surya सूर्य देव The visible god Visit Surya page → 3 prayers · 2 temples Shani Dev शनि देव Lord of justice and karma Visit Shani Dev page → 1 prayer · 8 temples Kartikeya भगवान कार्तिकेय Murugan, commander of the gods Visit Kartikeya page → 2 prayers · 1 temple Khatu Shyam खाटू श्याम जी Haare ka Sahara Visit Khatu Shyam page → 1 prayer · 1 temple Sai Baba साईं बाबा The saint of Shirdi Visit Sai Baba page →

Frequently asked questions

How many gods are there in Hinduism?

Tradition speaks of 33 koti devas — read as 33 crore or as 33 types (the 12 Adityas, 11 Rudras, 8 Vasus and two others). Most Hindus understand the many deities as forms of one supreme reality, Brahman, and worship one or more as their chosen deity (ishta devata).

Who are the main Hindu deities?

The Trimurti — Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the transformer — with their consorts Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati (Durga). Ganesha, Hanuman, and Vishnu’s avatars Rama and Krishna are among the most widely worshipped.

What is an ishta devata?

The personal or chosen deity to whom a devotee feels closest and offers daily worship. Choosing one does not mean rejecting the others; many families also keep a kula devata, the family deity.