Page 31 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

A POR TR AIT OF INDIA  29

Brahma, the Creator, is
part of the holy Trinity
(Trimurti) of gods that
also includes Vishnu and
Shiva. He is depicted
with four heads, of
which only three are
usually visible, and
holds a sceptre, a
spoon, a string of
beads and the Vedas.
He is seen here
with his consort, Shiva, the God of Destruction, is seated with
Saraswati, the Goddess his wife, Parvati, who represents his peaceful
of Learning. and domestic aspect. Shiva holds an elephant
goad and drum (dumroo), while Parvati has a
Shiva and lotus (kamal) in her hand.
Parvati

Flying
celestial
figure

Ananta,
the Many-
Headed
Serpent,
is also
known as
Adishesha.
Durga, the fierce form of gentle Parvati, slaying the
Vishnu, the buffalo-demon, Mahishasura. This panel from Mamalla puram,
Preserver known as Mahishasuramardini, shows Durga riding a lion
with a deadly weapon in each of her eight arms; these
were given to her by the gods to annihilate the demon.

Karttikeya, Shiva’s warrior son, has a peacock
as his vahana. He is also known as
Skanda, Subramanya and Murugan in
South India. The other son of Shiva
is Ganesha (see p471).
Attendants, the
personifications
of Vishnu’s
four attributes,
protect the god
from demons.

Devotees are often elevated
to the status of saints and are
honoured for their devotion
to either Shiva or Vishnu. This
11th-century bronze is of a
Dancers, musicians and other performers are usually carved on Shaivite boy-saint holding
the lower plinths of temples cymbals in his hands.

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