Hindu goddesses – The cosmic powers of the Vedas

Devī is the Sanskrit word for ‘goddess’; the masculine form is deva. Devi and deva mean ‘heavenly, divine, anything of excellence’, and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism.

The concept and reverence for goddesses appears in the Vedas, which were composed around the 3rd millennium BCE.

Goddesses such as Lakshmi, Parvati, Durga, Saraswati, Sita, Radha and Kali have continued to be revered in the modern era.

The medieval era Puranas witness a major expansion in mythology and literature associated with Devi, with texts such as the Devi Mahatmya, wherein she manifests as the ultimate truth and supreme power.

She has inspired the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. Further, Devi and her primary form Parvati is viewed as central in the Hindu traditions of Shaktism and Shaivism.

Popular Hindu goddesses

This is a list of the most popular Hindu goddesses

Devi

Devī is the Sanskrit word for “goddess”; the masculine form is Deva. Devi – the feminine form, and Deva – the masculine form, mean “heavenly, divine, anything of excellence”, and are also gender specific terms for a deity in Hinduism.

Shakti

In Hinduism, especially Shaktism, Shakti is the primordial cosmic energy, and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the universe.

This energy is thought of as creative, sustaining, as well as destructive, and is sometimes referred to as auspicious source energy.

Yogini

Yogini is a Sanskrit term for a female master practitioner of yoga, as well as a formal term of respect for female Hindu or Buddhist spiritual teachers in Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Greater Tibet. The term is the feminine Sanskrit word of the masculine yogi, while the term “yogin” IPA: [ˈjoːɡɪn] is used in neutral, masculine or feminine sense.

Svaha

In Hinduism and Buddhism, the Sanskrit lexical item svāhā is a denouement indicating the end of the mantra. Literally, it means “well said”. In the Tibetan language, “svaha” is translated as “so be it” and is often pronounced and orthographically represented as “soha”. Whenever fire sacrifices are made, svāhā is chanted. Etymologically, the term is probably from su, “well” and the root ah, “to call”.

Durga

Durga, identified as Adi Parashakti, is a principal and popular form of Hindu Goddess. She is the warrior goddess, whose mythology centres around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity and dharma of the good. She is the fierce form of the protective mother goddess, willing to unleash her anger against wrong, violence for liberation and destruction to empower creation.

Saraswati

Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and nature.

She is a part of the trinity of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati.

All the three forms help the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in the creation, maintenance and destruction of the Universe.

Saraswati became a prominent deity in Buddhist iconography – the consort of Manjushri in 1st millennium CE.

In some instances such as in the Sadhanamala of Buddhist pantheon, she has been symbolically represented as Tara.

Kali

Kali, also known as Kālikā or Shyāmā, is a Hindu goddess. Kali is one of the ten Mahavidyas, a list which combines Sakta and Buddhist goddesses.

Bhadra

In Hinduism, Bhadra is a goddess of the hunt. The queen of the Lord Kuber was Bhadra, the daughter of lord Suryadev and sister of Shani. It is believed that she was filled with halahal or poison .Bhadra also refers to one of the eight eternal companions (Ashtanayika) of Goddes Durga.

Parvati

Parvati or Gauri is the Hindu goddess of fertility, love, beauty, marriage, children, and devotion; as well as of divine strength and power. Known by many other names, she is the gentle and nurturing aspect of the Supreme Hindu goddess Adi Parashakti and one of the central deities of the Goddess-oriented Shakta sect. She is the Mother goddess in Hinduism, and has many attributes and aspects. Each of her aspects is expressed with a different name, giving her over 100 names in regional Hindu stories of India. Along with Lakshmi and Saraswati, she forms the trinity of Hindu goddesses (Tridevi).

Sita

Sita or Seeta, is the consort of Lord Rama and an avatar of Sri Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess that denotes good character, good fortune, prosperity, success, and happiness. She is esteemed as the paragon of spousal and feminine virtues for all women.

Varahi

Varahi is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven mother goddesses in the Hindu religion. With the head of a sow, Varahi is the shakti of Varaha, the boar avatar of the god Vishnu. In Nepal, she is called Barahi.

Lakshmi

Lakshmi or Laxmi, is the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity. She is the wife and shakti (energy) of Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism and the Supreme Being in the Vaishnavism Tradition. With Parvati and Saraswati, she forms Tridevi, the holy trinity. Lakshmi is also an important deity in Jainism and found in Jain temples. Lakshmi has also been a goddess of abundance and fortune for Buddhists, and was represented on the oldest surviving stupas and cave temples of Buddhism. In Buddhist sects of Tibet, Nepal and southeast Asia, goddess Vasudhara mirrors the characteristics and attributes of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi with minor iconographic differences.

Mahavidya

The Mahavidya are a group of ten aspects of Adi Parashakti in [ Sanatana Dharma & Hinduism ]. They are all forms of Goddess Parvati. After the decline of Buddhism in India, these forms of the Goddess began to be attested in the Kaula Tantrika literature.

Prithvi

Prithvi or Prithvi Mata “the Vast One” is the Sanskrit name for the earth as well as the name of a devi (goddess) in Hinduism and some branches of Buddhism. She is also known as Bhūmi. She is consort of Vishnu and Dyaus Pita both.

Parnashavari

Parnashavari also spelt as Paranasavari is a Hindu deity adopted as Buddhist deity of diseases, worship of which is believed to offer effective protection against out-breaks of epidemics.

Parnasabari is also depicted in some images of the Pala period found in Dhaka, as a main goddess and escorted by Hindu deities Jvarasura and Shitala.

Both of these escorts are disease related Hindu deities.

In India, the Kurkihar hoard contains seven bronze images of Parnasabari belonging to 10th- 12th century AD.

In Buddhism, Parnasabari is depicted as an attendant of the Buddhist deity of same name, Tara also considered a female aspect of Avalokiteshvara.

Rati

Rati is the Hindu goddess of love, carnal desire, lust, passion and sexual pleasure. Usually described as the daughter of Prajapati Daksha, Rati is the female counterpart, the chief consort and the assistant of Kama (Kamadeva), the god of love. A constant companion of Kama, she is often depicted with him in legend and temple sculpture. She also enjoys worship along with Kama. Rati is often associated with the arousal and delight of sexual activity, and many sex techniques and positions derive their Sanskrit names from hers.

Bhadrakali

Bhadrakālī is a Hindu goddess popular in Southern India. She is one of the fierce forms of the Great Goddess Adi Parashakthi or Durga (Devi) mentioned in the Devi Mahatmyam. Bhadrakali is the popular form of Devi Mahamaya worshipped in Kerala as Sri Bhadrakali, Mahakali, Chamunda and Kariam Kali Murti. In Kerala she is seen as the auspicious and fortunate form of Mahakali who protects the good.

Chandi

Chandi or Chandika is a Hindu deity. Chandika is a form of Durga/parvati. Chandika form is said to be extremely ferocious and inaccessible because of her anger. She cannot tolerate evil acts. Chandika does not like evil doers and becomes terribly angry on seeing them. She slays evil doers without mercy. Her anger is expressed in Devi Mahatmya. A seven-year-old girl is also known as Chandika in Sanskrit scriptures.

Apsara

An Apsara is a class of minor female heavenly beings commonly portrayed as decorative elements in art, often depicted as flying in the sky.

Chhinnamasta

Chhinnamasta, often spelled Chinnamasta, and also called Ch(h)innamastika and Prachanda Chandika, is a Hindu goddess. She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten goddesses from the esoteric tradition of Tantra, and a ferocious aspect of Devi, the Hindu Mother goddess. The self-decapitated nude goddess, usually standing or seated on a divine copulating couple, holds her own severed head in one hand, a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants.

Ratri

Ratri, is a vedic goddess mostly associated with night. The majority of references to Ratri are found in Rigveda and is associated with Ushas. Together with Ushas she is referred to as a powerful mother and strengthener of vital power. She represents cyclic rhythmic patterns of the cosmos. Her physical appearance isn’t explicitly mentioned but she is described as a beautiful maiden.

Gayatri

Gayatri is the personified form of popular Gayatri Mantra, a hymn from Vedic texts. She is also known as Savitri and Vedamata. Gayatri is often associated with Savitr, a solar deity in the vedas. Saivite texts identify Gayatri as the consort of Shiva, in his highest form of Sadasiva with five heads and ten hands. Gayatri is a form of Parvati and in Skand Puran, she is a form of Saraswati and second wife of Bramha

Siddhidhatri

Siddhidhatri is the ninth form of the Goddess Durga, the meaning of her name is as follows: Siddhi means supernatural power or meditative ability, and Dhatri means giver or awarder. She is worshipped on the ninth day of Navaratri ; she fulfills all the divine aspirations and completes the mundane.

Bhavani

Bhavani is an avatar of the Hindu goddess Parvati. She is a form of Durga who is worshiped in Maharashtra, and also by Gurjars of North Gujarat, Western Rajasthan and Punjab. Bhavani translates to “giver of life”, meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy. She is considered to be a mother who provides to her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing Asuras.

Ishvari

Ishvari is the Divine female counterpart of Ishvara. It is shakti and infinite strength represented in a form as an all-powerful, sovereign Goddess who reigns over all the worlds.

Brahmacharini

Brahmacharini means a devoted female student who lives in an Ashrama with her Guru along with other students. It is also the name of the second aspect of the goddess Durga (Parvati). The goddess is worshipped on the second day of Navratri. She is also known as Tapascharini, Aparna and Uma. The goddess Brahmacharini wears white clothes, holds a japa mala (rosary) in her right hand and Kamandal, a water utensil in her left hand.

Chandraghanta

In Hinduism, Chandraghanta is the third form of Goddess Durga. Her name Chandra-Ghanta, means “one who has a half-moon shaped like a bell. Her third eye is always opened and she always ready for war against demons”. She is also known as Chandrakhanda, Chandika or Rannchandi. Her worship takes place on the third day of Navaratri(the nine divine nights of Navadurga). She is believed to reward people with her grace, bravery and courage. By her grace all the sins, distresses, physical sufferings, mental tribulations and ghostly hurdles of the devotees are eradicated.

Kalaratri

Kalaratri is the seventh of the nine forms of the Goddess Durga, known as the Navadurga. She is first referenced in the Durga Saptashati, Chapters 81-93 of the Markandeya Purana, the earliest known literature on the Goddess Durga. Kalaratri is widely regarded as one of the many destructive forms of the Mother Goddess, which include Kali, Mahakali, Bhadrakali, Bhairavi, Mrityu, Rudrani, Chamunda, Chandi and Durga.

Radha

Radha, also called Radhika, Radharani, and Radhe, is a Hindu goddess popular in Hinduism, especially in the Vaishnavism tradition. She was said to be the head of the milkmaids who resided in Braj Dham. She is the lover of the Supreme personality of Godhead Lord Krishna in the medieval era texts. She is a supreme goddess in her own right.

Navadurga

Navadurga, are nine manifestations of the goddess Durga in Hinduism, especially worshiped during the festival of Navratri where each of the nine manifested forms are venerated respectively for each night. The nine forms of Goddess Durga or (Parvati) are: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidhatri.

Matangi

Matangi (मातंगी) is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and a ferocious aspect of Parvati, the Hindu Divine Mother. She is considered to be the Tantric form of Parvati but she is very similar to Saraswati. Like Sarasvati, Matangi and she governs speech, music, knowledge and the arts. Her worship is prescribed to acquire supernatural powers, especially gaining control over enemies, attracting people to oneself, acquiring mastery over the arts and gaining supreme knowledge.

Mohini

Mohini in Hindu mythology is a goddess and the only female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a ”femme fatale”, an enchantress, who maddens lovers, sometimes leading them to their doom. Mohini is introduced into the Hindu mythology in the narrative epic of the Mahabharata. Here, she appears as a form of Vishnu, acquires the pot of Amrita from the thieving asuras (demons), and gives it back to the devas (gods), helping them retain their immortality.

Skandamata

Skandamātā (Sanskrit:स्कन्दमाता) is the fifth form of Hindu Goddess Durga. Literally meaning Mother of Skanda, her name comes from word, Skanda is another name for war god and her son Kartikeya and Mata is the term for mother. As one of the Navadurga, Her worship takes place on the fifth day of Navaratri(the nine divine nights of Navadurga).

Prasuti

Prasuti (प्रसूति) is a Hindu goddess, who is the daughter of Svayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa; wife of Daksha and mother of many daughters by him, including the goddess Sati.

Kubjika

kubjika is the primary deity of Kubjikamata, a sect of non -shaiddhantika mantra marga sect. The worship of Kubjika as one of the main aspect of Adishakti was in its peak in 12th century CE. She is still praised in tantric practices that are followed in Kaula tradition.

Kumari (goddess)

Kumari, or Kumari Devi, or Living Goddess – Nepal is the tradition of worshiping young prepubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in Hindu religious traditions. The word Kumari is derived from the Sanskrit Kaumarya, meaning “princess”.

Kamalatmika

In Hinduism, Kamala or Kamalatmika is the Devi in the fullness of her graceful aspect. She is believed as the tenth Mahavidya. She is a form of Parvati as all the Mahavidyas are. Some stories say she is also a form of Lakshmi. She is the daughter of the sage Brighu.

Kamakhya

Kamakhya, also known as Siddha Kubjika, is an important Hindu Tantric goddess of desire who evolved in the Himalayan hills. She is worshiped as Siddha Kubjika, and is also identified as Kali and Maha Tripura Sundari. According to the Tantric texts that are the basis for her worship at the Kamakhya temple, a 16th-century temple in the Kamrup district of Assam. The earlier manifest of the goddess sanctified at the Garo hills is destroyed, although the Vatsayana priests are said to have carried away the manifest of the goddess to the Hindu kingdom in Kashmir and later sanctified in a remote hill forest in Himachal. Her name means “renowned goddess of desire,” and she resides at the presently rebuilt Kamakhya Temple in 1645 C. The temple is primary amongst the 51 Shakti Peethas related to the sect that follows Sati, and remains one of the most important Shakta temples and Hindu pilgrimage sites in the world.

Mahadevi

In Hinduism, Mahadevi or “Great Goddess” is the goddess or Devi that is the sum of all other devis – an all-encompassing female deity as the consort or complement to an all-encompassing male deity (Deva) or the Ultimate Reality (Brahman) in Shaktism. Mahadevi is the wife of Mahadeva who is Lord Shiva. Since Parvati is the wife of Lord Shiva, Mahadevi is Parvati.

Mahagauri

Mahagauri is the eighth manifestation of goddess Durga and amongst the Navadurgas. Mahagauri is worshipped on the eighth day of Navratri. According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Mahagauri has the power to fulfill all the desires of her devotees. The one who worships the goddess gets relief from all the sufferings in life. Mahagauri has four arms. Her right arm is in the pose of allaying fear and right lower hand holds a trident in it. She holds a tambourine in her left upper arm and the lower one is in the form of a blessing.

Mahakali

Mahakali, Kalasankarshini is the consort of Mahakala, the god of consciousness, the basis of reality and existence. Mahakali in Sanskrit is etymologically the feminized variant of Mahakala or Great Time, an epithet of the god Shiva in Hinduism. Kali and all her forms are the different manifestations of Mahakali.

Shatarupa

In Hindu mythology, when Brahma was creating the universe, he made a female deity known as Shatarupā. According to the Matsya Purana, Shatarupa was known by different names, including Satarupa, Sandhya and Brahmi. According to Brahma Purana, Shatarupa is regarded as the first woman to be created by Brahma along with Manu.

Manakamana Temple

Manakamana Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Bhagwati, an incarnation of Parvati and it is situated in the village of Manakamana in Gorkha District, Gandaki Province, Nepal.

Manasa

Manasā, also Mansā Devi, is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of North and northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and prosperity. Manasa is the mother of Astika, sister of Vasuki, king of Nāgas (snakes) and wife of sage Jaratkaru (Jagatkaru). She is also known as Vishahara, Nityā (eternal) and Padmavati.

Sanjna

Sanjna or Samjna, also known as Saranyu and Sandhya, is a Hindu goddess and the chief wife of Surya, the Sun god. She is one of the earliest goddesses in the Hindu pantheon and is found in the Rigveda. Saranyu also appears in later texts including the Harivamsa and the Markandeya Purana. The most prominent legend of Saranyu is about her temporary abandonment of Surya and creation of Chhaya. In most texts, Saranyu is the mother of the death god Yama, the river-goddess Yami, the current Manu, the divine twin physicians Ashvins and the god Revanta.

Indrani

Indrani, also known as Shachi, is the queen of the devas in Hinduism. Described as tantalisingly beautiful, proud, and kind, she is also the ruler of the planet Venus. Described as the daughter of the asura Puloman, she is the consort of the King of the Gods, Indra.

Dhumavati

Dhumavati is one of the Mahavidyas, a group of ten Tantrik goddesses. Dhumavati represents the fearsome aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother. She is often portrayed as an old, ugly widow, and is associated with things considered inauspicious and unattractive in Hinduism, such as the crow and the Chaturmas period. The goddess is often depicted on a horseless chariot or riding a crow, usually in a cremation ground.

Matrikas

Matrikas also called Matar or Matri, are a group of mother goddesses who are always depicted together in Hinduism. Matrikas are the different forms Adi Parashakti. Matrikas are the personified powers of different Devas. Brahmani emerged from Brahma, Vaishnavi from Vishnu, Maheshvari from Shiva, Indrani from Indra, Kaumari from Skanda, Varahi from Varaha and Chamunda from Devi, and additionals are Narasimhi, Vinayaki.

Bagalamukhi

Baglamukhi or Bagala is one of the mahavidyas, a group of ten Tantrik deities in Hinduism. Devi Bagalamukhi smashes the devotee’s misconceptions and delusions with her cudgel. The word Bagala is derived from the word Valga which, became Vagla and then Bagla. The Devi has 108 different names. Bagalamukhi is commonly known as Pitambari Maa in North India, the goddess associated with yellow color or golden colour.

Anasuya

Anasuya, also known as Anusuya, was the wife of an ancient rishi (sage) named Atri, in Hindu legend. In the Ramayana, she appears living with her husband in a small hermitage in the southern periphery of the forest of Chitrakuta. She was very pious and always practiced austerity and devotion. This allowed her to attain miraculous powers.

Chamunda

Chamunda also known as Chagundi, Chamundeshwari, Charchika and Rakta Kali is a fearsome form of Chandi, the Hindu Divine Mother and one of the seven Matrikas.

Akilandeswari

Akilandeswari or Akhilāṇḑeśvarī is one of the main forms of the Hindu goddess, Parvati. The famous abode of Akilandeswari is the temple of Thiruvanaikoil. Other important forms of Parvati are Meenakshi of Madurai, Kamakshi of Kanchipuram and Vishalakshi of Varanasi.

Ushas

Ushas is a Vedic goddess of dawn in Hinduism. She repeatedly appears in the Rigvedic hymns, states David Kinsley, where she is “consistently identified with dawn, revealing herself with the daily coming of light to the world, driving away oppressive darkness, chasing away evil demons, rousing all life, setting all things in motion, sending everyone off to do their duties”. She is the life of all living creatures, the impeller of action and breath, the foe of chaos and confusion, the auspicious arouser of cosmic and moral order called the Ṛta in Hinduism.

Bhagavati

Bhagavatī, is a word of Sanskrit origin, used in India as a polite form to address or as an honorific title for female deities in Hinduism.

Tridevi

The Tridevi is a concept in Hinduism joining a triad of eminent goddesses either as a feminine version of the Trimurti or as consorts of a masculine Trimurti, depending on the denomination. This triad is typically personified by the Hindu goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. In Shaktism, these triune goddesses are the manifestations of goddess Yogmaya also known by the names of Adi Parashakti, Devi.

Vinayaki

Vināyakī is an elephant-headed Hindu goddess. Her mythology and iconography are not clearly defined. Little is told about her in Hindu scriptures and very few images of this deity exist.

Bhuvaneshvari

Bhuvaneshvari is the fourth amongst the ten Mahavidya goddesses in Hinduism, and an aspect of Devi as elements of the physical cosmos in giving shape to the creation of the World.

Varuni

Varuni, also known as Varunani and Jaldevi, is the consort of Varuna, often depicted with her husband. She is goddess of wine. She is described in Rigveda.

Valli

Vaḷḷi is a Hindu goddess and the consort of the god Kartikeya.She is a form of Vishnu’s daughter Sundaravalli.

Panchakanya

Panchakanya(पञ्चकन्या, pañcakanyā), also known as the Five Virgins, is a group of five iconic heroines of Hindu epics, extolled in a hymn and whose names are believed to dispel sin when recited. They are Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mandodari. Ahalya, Tara, Mandodari and are from the epic Ramayana; while Kunti and Draupadi from Mahabharata.

Periyachi

Periyachi (Tamil:பெரியாச்சி) is a malevolent aspect of the Divine Mother in Hinduism. She is also known as Periyachi Amman and sometimes called as Periyachi Kali amman and she is associated with another ferocious goddess Kali. Periyachi is the protector of children and is associated with childbirth and pregnancy. Periyachi is usually associated with Hinduism in Singapore and Malaysia.

Vakula Devi

Vakula Devi is the foster mother of Lord Venkateswara. As per the legend of Tirumala, it dates back to Dvapara Yuga when Yasoda, the foster mother of Lord Krishna complains to him that she couldn’t witness any of his marriages. To this, Lord Krishna replies he would ensure she would get such opportunity later in Kali Yuga.

Vajreshwari Temple

The Shree Vajreshwari Yogini Devi Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Vajreshwari, located in the town Vajreshwari, 75 km away from Mumbai. The town, earlier known as Vadvali, was renamed Vajreshwari in honour of the presiding deity of the temple.

Nirṛti

Nirṛtī (निऋती) is the Hindu goddess of deathly hidden realms and sorrows, one of the dikpāla, representing the southwest. The name nirhti has the meaning of “absence of”.

Phul Mata

Phul Mata is a Hindu goddess of disease, one of a group of seven sister goddesses with similar associations. Her sisters were Sitala Mata, Badi Mata, Pansahi Mata, Gusulia Mata, Kankar Mata, and Malbal. As a group, they were well known in northern India, and were often represented by balls of clay. Phul Mata was specifically associated with typhoid fever.

Pidari

Pidari is one of the consorts of Shiva. She was referred as the snake catcher.

Poleramma

Goddess Poleramma is a Pre Vedic deity goddess, who is predominantly worshipped in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Poleramma is a local form of Sakti in Andhra pradesh. She is worshipped as Grama devata.

Vaishno Devi

Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Hindu Goddess Mata Adi Shakti, also known as Mahalakshmi/Matrika Goddess. The words “maa” and “mata” are commonly used in India for “mother”, and thus are often used in connection with Vaishno Devi.

Padmavathi

Padmavathi also known as Alamelu manga, is a Hindu devi. Believed to be a form of Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of Elemental Prakriti, Padmavathi is the consort of Sri Venkateswara and an incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi. The name Padmavati is Sanskrit for “she who emerged from lotus”. The most prominent shrine of Padmavathi is Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple situated at Tiruchanur, a suburb of Tirupati City. Tradition dictates that every pilgrim to Tirupati must offer obeisance at this temple before visiting the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.

Somalamma

Somalamma, also called Somanalamma and Somanayaki Amma, is a Hindu devi (goddess) who protects soma and gives soma to her devotees to relieve their health and mental symptoms.

Vijayadurga

Sri Vijayadurga is a Hindu Goddess of varying importance in Indian culture and tradition. She is said to have intervened in a battle between Shiva and Vishnuthem, and gone to Shankwali to kill the demons harassing the Brahmins there. When she destroyed all the demons in sancoale she earned the name of Vijaya and was given the name as Vijayadurga. The deity is thus a form of the Goddess Durga. The Vijayadurga temple was once located in close proximity to Shri Shankleshwari Shantadurga and Shri Lakshminarsimha in Sancoale but had to be shifted to Kerim, Ponda Taluka – Goa.

Niladevi

Niladevi transl. ’blue goddess’, also rendered as Neela Devi, is a Hindu goddess and a consort of the preserver deity Vishnu, along with Sridevi (Lakshmi) and Bhudevi. Niladevi becomes one of Vishnu’s consorts in his avatar as Krishna, along with Sridevi as Rukmini and Bhudevi as Satyabhama. She is the southern counterpart of Krishna’s companion Radha from the North Indian tradition. She is primarily revered in South India, particularly in Tamil culture, as one of Vishnu’s consorts. In Sri Vaishnava tradition, all three consorts are regarded as aspects of Lakshmi.

Pratyangira

Prathyangira, also called Narasimhi, Narashimhika and Atharvana Bhadrakali is a Hindu Goddess associated with Shakti. She is a form of Adi Parashakti and is the consort of Sharabha. She is described as a goddess with a male lion’s face and a female human body. She holds the combined destructive power of Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti. This combination of lion and human forms represents the balance of good and evil. In Shaktism, Pratyangira is Siddhilakshmi, a form of Guhya Kali. In Vaishnavism, Pratyangira is Narasimhi, the power of Narasimha avatar. In Durga tradition, Pratyangira is Purna Chandi, the fiery destructive power of Brahman. In the Vedas, Pratyangira is Adharvana Bhadrakali, the goddess of Adharva Veda and magical spells.

Navadurga (regional goddess)

Navadurga is the Kuldevta of many Gaud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB’s) and Daivadnya Brahmins in India – in Goa & Maharashtra. Due to the forceful Portuguese conversion and intervention into their rituals, the Deity with all the other purushas had to be shifted from Gavasim to their present respective places. The Saraswats and Daivadnyas who left to the north of Goa, established a temple in the honours of the Goddess and revering her in nine different locations. The present temple along with the kulpurushas is located in Vengulara Redi(Maharashtra). The other Saraswats and Daivadnyas who left to the East of Goa along with their Kulapurushas established a temple dedicated to the Goddess. Today the magnificent temple located in Madkai, is famous for its Navadurga having a tilted head. Legend says that a wealthy Saraswat merchant when placed a flower worth Rs. 1000, the Goddess tilted her head acknowledging the merchant’s devotion. A similar legend follows at the Katyayani Baneshwar, a Konkani temple now located in Aversa, Karnataka. Here Katyayani too like the Navadurga has a tilted head.As the legend goes a goldsmith belonging to Daivadnya Brahmin community living in the village of Madkai was ordered by temple authorities to fabricate a mask of the Goddess Navdurga. The Goddess appeared in the goldsmith’s dream and told him to make the mask similar to his daughter’s face. The mask was prepared resembling his daughter’s face, but after few days his daughter became weak and died. The goldsmith was very sad because of her death. The Goddess appeared before him once again and told him that she will visit his house once in a year as his daughter. Hence as a tradition goes the same mask of the Goddess is welcomed in the Goldsmith’s house on Karthik Shukla Asthami day every year. This day is celebrated by the Madkaikars(Goldsmith’s family) in the same way as a married girl visiting her paternal home. The Navdurgas located in Madkai (Goa), Kundaim (Goa) and Redi are considered to be Saraswat Kuldevtas whereas the others are gram devtas or normal Hindu temples.

Vinata

According to Hindu legends, Vinata is the mother of Aruna and Garuda. She is one of the daughter of Prajapati Daksha. Married to Kashyapa along with her sisters. She bore him two sons, the elder son was Aruna and younger was Garuda.

Vindhyavasini

Vindhyavasini is name of a benevolent aspect of Devi Amba or Durga. Her temple is located at Vindhyachal, 8 km away from Mirzapur on the banks of river Ganges, in Uttar Pradesh.Another shrine is located in Bandla, Himachal Pradesh also called Bandla Mata Temple.

Visalakshi

Visalakshi or Vishalakshi is one of the Hindu goddesses.

Nandni Mata

Nandni Mata is a Hindu goddess. The name Nandni is another name for Durga, which means “daughter”.

Muthyalamma

Muthyalamma is a Hindu goddess who is a form of Durga / Kali Matha. There are hundreds of temples to her in Hyderabad.

Vrinda (goddess)

Tulasi, Tulsi or Vrinda is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulasi; she is regarded as the avatar of Lakshmi, and thus the consort of the god Vishnu. In the story, she married Jalandhara. The offering of its leaves is recommended in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his avatars like Krishna and Vithoba.

Vyali

Vyali is a Hindu goddess with the supposed power to protect the places where rites are performed.

Muchilot Bhagavathi

Muchilot Bhagavathi is the tutelary deity of the Vaniyas of North Malabar. Muchilot Bhagavathi is also worshipped by Nambūdiris of the Pulimpi Illam as Vīzhala Bhagavati and as Maññaḷamma by some Adiyodis..

Mookambika

Mookambika is the Hindu goddess who is representing Adi Parashakti, who is known simply as Shakti. Adishakti is the original creator, preserver and destroyer of the whole universe.She is often depicted with three eyes and four arms with a divine disc and conch. The goddess has a large following among the people of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu states of India, popularly being known as “Thayi Mookambike”, Mooghambighai Amma or Thaai Mooghambighai, where Amma and Thaai mean “mother”.

Momai

Momai or Momai Mata also known as Dashamaa is one of the aspects of Durga, a regional Hindu goddess, popular in Gujarat, especially in desert region of Kutch.

Yamuna in Hinduism

Yamuna is a sacred river in Hinduism and the main tributary of the Goddess Ganga (Ganges), the holiest river of Hinduism. The river is worshipped as a Hindu goddess called Yamuna. In the Vedas, Yamuna is known as Yami, while in later literature, she is called Kalindi. In the Vedas, Yami is associated with her twin brother and partner Yama, the god of death. Later, she is associated with the god Krishna as one of Ashtabharya, his consort as well and plays an important role in his early life as a river. Bathing in or drinking Yamuna’s waters is believed to remove sin.

Neela (goddess)

In Hinduism, Neela is known as Neelima or Neelamratna. She is the first consort and the chief wife of Shani and mother of Kuligna. She balances and increases power of Shani and is the goddess of the gemstone Blue Sapphire gemstone. Her son Kuligna is a Rishi. Her husband, Shani, also married a Gandharva lady, Dhamini.

Putana

In Hinduism, Putana is a Rakshasi (demoness), who is killed by the infant-god Krishna. Putana is also considered as a foster-mother of Krishna as she breast-fed him, though it was with the motive of killing Krishna by poisoned milk. By offering her milk, Putana had performed “the supreme act of maternal devotion”, in the shadow of her evil motives. The myth is told and retold in Hindu scriptures and some Indian books, which portray her variously as an evil hag or a demoness who surrendered herself to Krishna, though she initially came with evil motives.

Vāc

Vāc a Vedic goddess, a personified form of speech. She enters into the inspired poets and visionaries, gives expression and energy to those she loves; she is called the “mother of the Vedas” and consort of Indra in Aitareya Aranyaka. Elsewhere, such as in the Padma Purana, she is stated to be the wife of Vision (Kashyapa), the mother of Emotions, and the friend of Musicians (Gandharva).

Santoshi Mata

Santoshi Mata or Santoshi Maa is a goddess in the Hindu pantheon. She is venerated as “the Mother of Satisfaction”, the meaning of her name. Santoshi Mata is particularly worshipped by women of North India and Nepal. A vrata called the Santoshi Maa vrata performed by women on 16 consecutive Fridays wins the goddess’ favour.

Shivadooti

Shivaduti is a powerful manifestation of Mother Goddess Shakti. Shivaduti means one who has Shiva as her messenger. Goddess Shivaduti made her appearance in the battle against demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. She symbolically represents the unfathomable power of Mother Goddess Shakti. As per Devi Mahatmyam, in the battle against the forces of Shumbh and Nishumbh, Mother Goddess took the manifestation of the Saptamatrikas. They were Shaktis of the male gods. After this appeared Shivaduti, the Shakti of Mother Goddess. This form is not associated with any male form. Devi Mahatmyam states that she appeared from the body of Mother Goddess in the most gruesome form – yelping like a hundred jackals. She then asked Lord Shiva to carry the message to Shumbha and Nishumbha that if they desire to battle against her out of arrogance and false belief in their strength, then they and their forces be ready to be devoured by her jackals. It must be noted here that Goddess Shivaduti is a symbolic representation of what form Goddess Shakti can take to put down Adharma.

Shitala

Shitala (Sheetala), also called Sitala, is a folk deity, worshiped by many faiths in the Indian subcontinent, notably in North India, West Bengal, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. As an incarnation of Supreme Goddess Durga, she cures poxes, sores, ghouls, pustules and diseases. Goddess Sheetala is worshipped on the eighth day after festival of colors (Holi), on the occasion of Sheetala Asthami.

Sri Ramalinga Sowdeswari Amman

Sri Ramalinga Sowdeswari Amman is a Hindu deity, also known as Sri Chowdeshwari Devi.(Hindi : श्री रामलिंग चौडेस्वरी माता, Tamil : ஸ்ரீ ராமலிங்கசௌடேஸ்வரிஅம்மன், Malayalam :ശ്രീ രാമലിംഗ ചൌഡേശ്വരി അമ്മൻ, Kannada : ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಲಿಂಗ ಚೌಡೆಸ್ವಾರಿ ದೇವಿ, Telugu: శ్రీ రామలింగ చౌదెస్వరి దేవి). Worshipped in three forms of Shakti, Chamunda, and Jyothi. This goddess is worshipped as Sri Chowdeshwari Devi and as Sri Ramalinga Sowdeswari Amman. The other names are Banashankari, Soodambika. This goddess is kuladevatha for Devanga people.

Sundaravalli

Sundaravalli is a Hindu goddess, represented in Tamil tradition as the daughter of Vishnu and Lakshmi, along with her sister Amrithavalli. According to Hindu mythology, she is said to have emerged either from the joyous tears shed by Vishnu during his incarnation as Vamana, or from the light emitted from one of the eyes of Vishnu during his cosmic state. She is one of the two consorts of the war god Murugan, where she is referred to as Valli.

Shashthi

Shashthi or Shashti is a Hindu folk goddess, venerated as the benefactor and protector of children. She is also the deity of vegetation and reproduction and is believed to bestow children and assist during childbirth. She is often pictured as a motherly figure, riding a cat and nursing one or more infants. She is symbolically represented in a variety of forms, including an earthenware pitcher, a banyan tree or part of it or a red stone beneath such a tree; outdoor spaces termed shashthitala are also consecrated for her worship. The worship of Shashthi is prescribed to occur on the sixth day of each lunar month of the Hindu calendar as well as on the sixth day after a child’s birth. Barren women desiring to conceive and mothers seeking to ensure the protection of their children will worship Shashthi and request her blessings and aid. She is especially venerated in eastern India. Chhath is celebrated in Bihar in honour of her and Surya(sun god), twice in a year(In lunar months of Kartik, given more prominence and other one in Chaitra month.)

Shantadurga

Shantadurga is the most popular form of the Hindu goddess Durga revered in Goa, India,as well some parts of Karnataka. She is a Brahminical form of the ancient Mother goddess known as Santeri. She is worshipped in almost all villages of Goa as an ant-hill.This is seen in some temples dedicated to Shantadurga.

Surasa

Surasa is a Hindu goddess, who is described as the mother of the nagas (serpents). Her most popular tale appears in the Hindu epic Ramayana, where she is tasked to test Lord Hanuman on his way to Lanka.

Shakambhari

In Hinduism, Shakambhari is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, consort to Mahakala. She is the divine mother, called “The Bearer of the Greens.” In Hinduism any Vegetarian Item is considered as the Prasad of Shakambhari Devi. It is said that in times of famine, the Goddess Aadishakti comes down as Shakambhari and gives vegan food to the hungry.

Modheshwari

Modheshwarimata is an aspect of the devi Parvati or Durga. She is the clan deity of the Modh community of Gujarat.

Suswani Mataji

Suswani Mata also known as Susani Mata is a regional Jain as well Hindu goddess, popular in Rajasthan state of India. She is regarded as incarnation of Durga and worshipped by many Jain and Hindu communities.

Sati (Hindu goddess)

Sati, is also known as Dākṣāyaṇī. In the Tamil tradition, Sati is called Tamil: தாட்சாயிணி Tāṭcāyiṇi, and in Telugu tradition she is known as Perantalu. Sati is the goddess of marital felicity and longevity in Hinduism. An aspect of Adi Parashakti, Dakshayani is the first consort of Shiva, the second being Parvati who is the reincarnation of Sati.

Swasthani Barta (Fast)

Shree Swasthani is a Hindu goddess (Parameshwari) and is responsible for the good fortune, welfare and Power. She is mostly worshipped in Nepal in the holy month from poush Shukla purnima to magh Shukla purnima with dedicated rituals. Following such ritutals within this holy month brought many wishes to be fruitful for many. Through the reciting of story, we can find out the changes in fate provided by Goddess in the lives of several persons. But there are moluch more people who worships and have been satisfied by her blessings. She is a mother who loves you so much that, she will not take you go wrong path no matter the steps she takes for so.

Sarama

In Hindu mythology, Sarama is a mythological being referred to as the female Wolf of the gods, or Deva-shuni. She first appears in one of Hinduism’s earliest texts, the Rig Veda, in which she helps the god-king Indra to recover divine cows stolen by the Panis, a class of demons. This legend is alluded to in many later texts, and Sarama is often associated with Indra. The epic Mahabharata, and some Puranas, also make brief reference to Sarama.

Tanvi

Tanvi is a feminine given name which means “the epitome of femininity” or “beautiful” or “slender” in Sanskrit. Tanvi is also another name for Goddess Durga. The name may refer to:

Sinivali

Sinivali is a Vedic goddess, mentioned in two hymns of the Rigveda, in RV 2.32 and RV 10.184. In 2.32.7-8 she is described as broadhipped, fair-armed, fair-fingered, presiding over fecundity and easy birth. She is invoked together with Gungu, Raaka, Sarasvati, Indrani and Varunani. In 10.184.2, she is invoked together with Sarasvati to place the fetus in the womb.

Tapati

Tapati is a goddess found in Hindu mythology in Hinduism. She is also known as the goddess of river Tapati, mother-goddess of the south, the home of the southern sun where she brings the heat to the earth. As per the Hindu texts, Tapati was a daughter of Surya and Chhaya one of the wives of Surya.

Samaleswari

Maa Samlesiri is the presiding deity of Sambalpur. Maa Samleswari is known as the symbol of “Sambalpuri” culture.

Saibini

Saibini is the appellation for the mother Goddess in Goa, India. It is also used by the konkani speaking diaspora all along the west coast of India. The word can be translated as “Dame” in the English titular sense.

Rukmini

Rukmini is the principal wife and queen of the God Krishna, the prince of Dwaraka. Krishna heroically kidnapped her and eloped with her to prevent an unwanted marriage at her request and saved her from evil Shishupala. Rukmini is the first and most prominent queen of Krishna. Rukmini is also considered an avatar of Lakshmi, the Goddess of fortune.

Tara (Hindu goddess)

Tārā is the Hindu goddess of felicity and sanguineness. She is also the consort of Hindu god Brihaspati, the god of planet Jupiter. According to some Puranas, Tara sired or mothered a child named Budha, the god of Mercury through Chandra and had a son named Kacha through Brihaspati.

Rudrani

Rudrani is the shakti and consort of Rudra (Shiva). She later came to be identified as a manifestation of Adi Parashakti. Rudrani is the divine will and power related to Lord Shiva (Rudra). She is also a Matrika known as Maheshwari.

Rohini (goddess)

Rohini (रोहिणी) is a goddess in Hinduism and the favorite consort of Chandra, the moon god. She is a daughter of Daksha and sister of the 26 other Nakshatras. Of the lunar mansions, the asterisms Kṛttikā, Revati, and Rohini are often described as deified beings and “mothers”.

Revati

Revati, within Hinduism, is daughter of King Kakudmi and consort of the God Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna. Her account is given within a number of Puranic texts such as the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana.

Renuka

Reṇukā/Renuga/Renu is a Hindu goddess worshipped predominantly in the Indian states of Karanataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Renuka’s temple at Mahur in Maharashtra is considered one of the shakti peethas.

Tara (Mahavidya)

In Hinduism, the goddess Tara is the second of the Dasa (ten) Mahavidyas or “Great Wisdom goddesses”, and is a form of Adishakti, the tantric manifestation of Parvati. Her most famous centre of worship is the temple and the cremation ground of Tarapith in West Bengal, India. Her three most famous forms are Ekajaṭā, Ugratara, and Nīlasarasvatī.

Temblai

Temblai Devi or Tyamboli is form of Renuka devi, an incarnation of Goddess Durga and the presiding deity of temple located on a hilltop in the eastern part of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

Rakteswari

Rakteswari, identified as an aspect of Adi Parashakti, also known as Durga Parameswari, is a principal and popular form of Hindu goddess worshipped mainly in Parshurama Kshetras. Rakteswari is the iṣṭa-devatā of Tulu Nadu.

Trijata

Trijata is a rakshasi (demoness) in the Ramayana who is assigned the duty of guarding the kidnapped princess and goddess Sita, Sita, the consort of Rama, has been abducted by Ravana of Lanka, a demon king whom Trijata serves.

Tulasi in Hinduism

Tulasi, Tulsi or Vrinda is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulasi; she is regarded as the avatar of Lakshmi, and thus the consort of the god Vishnu. In the story, she married Jalandhara. The offering of its leaves is recommended in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his avatars like Krishna and Vithoba.

Satyabhama

Satyabhama is the second most important wife of the God Krishna- the avatar of the god Vishnu. The third wife of Krishna after Rukmini and Jambavanti, Satyabhama is believed to be an avatar of Bhumī Devī, the Goddess of Earth. She aided Krishna in defeating the demon Narakasura.

Aditi

In the Vedas, Aditi is mother of the gods, specially Sun (devamata) and all twelve zodiacal spirits from whose cosmic matrix, the heavenly bodies were born. As celestial mother of every existing form and being, the synthesis of all things, she is associated with space (akasa) and with mystic speech (Vāc). She may be seen as a feminized form of Brahma and associated with the primal substance (mulaprakriti) in Vedanta. She is mentioned nearly 80 times in the Rigveda: the verse “Daksha sprang from Aditi and Aditi from Daksha” is seen by Theosophists as a reference to “the eternal cyclic re-birth of the same divine Essence” and divine wisdom.

Mhalsa

Mhalsa, also spelled as Mhalasa or Mahalasa is a Hindu goddess. She is venerated in two distinct traditions. As an independent goddess, she is considered as a form of Mohini, the female avatar of the god Vishnu and is called Mhalsa Narayani. Mhalsa is also worshipped as the consort of the folk god Khandoba, a form of the god Shiva. In this tradition, she is associated with Parvati, Shiva’s wife as well as Mohini.

Brahmani (Matrika)

Brahmani or Brahmi, is one of the Sapta Matrika Goddesses called Matrikas. She is a form of Saraswati and is considered as the Shakti of the creator god Brahma in Hinduism. She is an aspect of Adi Shakti, possessing the “Rajas Guna” and is therefore the source of Brahma’s power.

Bhairavi

Bhairavi is a Hindu goddess associated with the Mahavidyas. She is the consort of Bhairava.

Bharat Mata

Bhārat Mātā is the national personification of India as a mother goddess. She is usually depicted as a woman clad in a saffron sari holding the Indian national flag, and sometimes accompanied by a lion.

Bhramari

Bhramari is a Hindu Goddess. She is an incarnation of the Goddess Shakti. Bhramari means ‘the Goddess of bees’ or ‘the Goddess of black bees’. She is associated with bees, hornets and wasps, which cling to her body. She is typically depicted as holding a mace, trident, sword and shield in her four hands.

Bhumi (goddess)

Bhumi, also known as Bhudevi and Vasundhara, is a Hindu goddess who is the personification of the Earth. She is a consort of the god Vishnu. According to Vaishnava tradition, she is considered to be the second aspect of Vishnu’s consort, Lakshmi, along with the aspects of Sridevi and Niladevi. Varaha, the third avatar of Vishnu, saved her from the demon Hiranyaksha and later married her, making her one of his consorts. She is regarded as the mother of Narakasura, Mangala, and Sita.

Bhutamata

In Hinduism, Bhutamata is a terrible and malevolent goddess, a form of Devi.

Bipodtarini Devi

Popularly known as Bipattarini (Bipottarini), also termed as Bipodtarini or Bipadtarini is a Hindu goddess (Devi), worshipped in West Bengal, Orissa and surrounding areas. Closely associated with goddess Sankattarani and considered as one of the 108 Avatars of the goddess Durga, Bidaptarini is especially prayed to for help in overcoming troubles. Her legends which are recounted during the annual festival associated with her, the Bipadtarini Vrata, observed by women, on the Between Dwitiya to Dashami {(Ulta Ratha Yatra ) or } or Between 2nd day to 10th Day of the Shukla paksha Tuesday or Saturday in month of Ashada according to the Hindu Calendar. Her legends established her name, Bipada – Tarini, which literally means deliverer from troubles.

Boyakonda Gangamma

Boyakonda Gangamma in the location of temple to Gangamma Devi at Boyakonda, Andhra Pradesh 517257, 20 km from Madanapalle and 150 km from Bangalore; it is in the Chowdepalli Mandal,Diguvapalli panchayat, Pungunur taluk, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh State of India. There is also a Hindu Pilgrimage centre here.

Budhi Pallien

In Hinduism, Budhi Pallien is a fearsome goddess of forests and jungles, who roams northern India, particularly Assam, in the form of a tiger. This wise goddess can change shape, from human to feline form and often travels with a companion tiger as she protects animals, with which she communicates.

Banka-Mundi

In Hinduism, Banka-Mundi is a goddess of the hunt and fertility. Hindus worship Banka-Mundi for protection against the wild animals of the forests said to remove fear and provide fertility.

Chelamma

Chelamma, is a Hindu goddess of the Southern Karnataka region of India.

Chenjiamman

Chenjiamman or Senjiamman is the guardian deity of Gingee. Her shrine sits atop the Rajagiri hillock in the Gingee Fort.

Chhaya

Chhaya or Chaya is the Hindu personification or goddess of shadow, and the consort of Surya, the Hindu sun god. She is the shadow-image or reflection of Saranyu (Sangya), the first wife of Surya. Chhaya was born from the shadow of Sanjna and replaced Sanjna in her house, after the latter temporarily left unable to bear Surya’s fierce splendour.

Consorts of Ganesha

The marital status of Ganesha varies widely in mythological stories and the issue has been the subject of considerable scholarly review. Several patterns of associations with different consorts are identifiable. One pattern of myths identifies Ganesha as an unmarried brahmacārin with no consorts. Another widely-accepted mainstream pattern associates him with the concepts of Buddhi (intellect), Siddhi, and Riddhi (prosperity); these qualities are sometimes personified as goddesses who are considered to be Ganesha’s wives. Another pattern connects Ganesha with the goddess of culture and the arts, Sarasvati. In the Bengal region he is linked with the banana tree, Kala Bo. Usually Ganesha’s consort is portrayed as his shakti, a personification of his creative energy. He also may be shown with a single consort or a nameless servant.

Danu (Asura)

Danu, a Hindu primordial goddess, is mentioned in the Rigveda, mother of the Danavas. The word Danu described the primeval waters which this deity perhaps embodied. In the Rigveda (I.32.9), she is identified as the mother of Vritra, the demonic serpent slain by Indra. In later Hinduism, she becomes the daughter of the god Daksha and his spouse Panchajani, and the consort of the sage Kashyapa.

Daruka

In Hinduism, Dārukā is a demoness who later becomes a devi (goddess) by Parvati’s blessings. She is the goddess of the forest of the same name. Her husband was a demon Daruk.

Dev Mogra

Dev Mogra is a figure in Hindu mythology, a goddess for the Satpuda mountain people.

Devasena

Devasena is a Hindu goddess and the first wife of the god Kartikeya. She is known as Devayanai, Deivanai or Deivayanai in south-Indian texts. Her name is also spelled as Teyvanai or Tevayanai .She is a form of Vishnu’s daughter Amritavalli.

Beeramgunta Poleramma Temple

Beeramgunta Poleramma Temple is a re-established 200 years-old temple in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, sacred to the goddess Poleramma. Poleramma is a pre-Vedic deity, who is predominantly worshipped in Andhra Pradesh, and a local form of Sakti. She is worshipped as Grama devata.

Bambar Baini

Bambar Baini is the regional incarnation of the Devi closely identified with Amba: Her name means “powerful goddess of shakti riding the lion,” and she resides on a hill located at town of Laundi

Dewi Danu

Dewi Danu is the water goddess of the Balinese Hindus, who call their belief-system Agama Tirta, or belief-system of the water. She is one of two supreme deities in the Balinese tradition.

Aranyani

In Hinduism, Aranyani is a goddess of the forests and the animals that dwell within them.

Alakshmi

In Hinduism, Alakshmi means “not Lakshmi”. She is described as being “cow-repelling, antelope-footed,and bull-toothed.” Or she “has dry shriveled up body, sunken cheeks, thick lips, and beady eyes and that she rides a donkey.” She is not mentioned by name in the Vedic, Upanishadic or early Puranic literature, but all aspects of Alakshmi match those of the Rig Vedic goddess Nirṛti. In Padma Purana, the cosmology includes her where the samudra manthan creates both good and bad of everything that emerges. That which is inauspicious and bad emerges first, more effort creates the auspicious and good, according to Padma Purana. First Alakshmi emerges, then Lakshmi appears during the Samudra manthan. Gods send Alakshmi to go dwell amongst pernicious persons, give them poverty and grief. She as the asura of inauspiciousness and grief is the opposite of Lakshmi the goddess of auspiciousness and joy. Alakshmi is also known as Kalahapriya and Daridara, and the elder sisterly opposite of Lakshmi.

Ambika (goddess)

Ambika is generally the name of Adi Shakti or Shakti, consort of Parashivam. She has eight arms, holding multiple weapons. She is also known as Bhagavati or Chandi. She is also considered Adi Shakti herself and Mother of the Universe as well as all beings which is also the meaning of the name “Ambika”.she is the goddess in skanda purana and Devi Mahatmya(part of the Markandeya Purana),who appeared from the body of Parvati and slayed the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh. She is also identified as Amba, Durga, Bhagavathi, Parvati, Bhavani,Ambe Maa,Sherawaali,Mata raani etc.

Ammavaru

Ammavaru, according to Hindu belief, is an ancient goddess who laid the egg that hatched Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. “Amma” means mother. She is thought to have existed before the beginning of time.

Angala Devi

Goddess Angala Devi is also known as Angalamman or Angala Parameswari. She is worshipped with these names in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Most people in Tamil Nadu keep their name as “Angu” by the influence of the god.

Ankalaparamecuvari

Ankalaparamecuvari is a Hindu goddess popular in parts of Tamil Nadu. Her cult is notable for its association with rituals carried out in cemeteries and burning grounds, which incorporate a colorful ritual object called a kapparai. The kapparai, which is often decorated with the faces of deities, is typically carried in procession to a cemetery/burning ground, where a ceremony called the “mayana kollai” is carried out. During the mayana kollai, priests and sometimes other participants may eat ashes and bone fragments found at the burning ground, although the precise nature of this ritual varies widely from one temple to the next. Ankalaparamecuvari may also be associated with other cemetery deities like Irulappan.

Annapurna (goddess)

Annapurna or Annapoorna is the goddess of food and nourishment in Hinduism. Worship and offering of food is highly praised in Hinduism and therefore, the goddess Annapurna is regarded as a popular deity. She is an avatar (form) of Parvati, the wife of Shiva. and is eulogized in the Annada Mangal, a narrative poem in Bengali by Bharatchandra Ray. The Annapurna Sahasranam is dedicated to the goddess and praises her one thousand names while the Annapurna Shatanama Stotram is dedicated to her 108 names.

Anumati (deity)

In Hinduism, Anumati is a lunar deity and goddess of spirituality. Her vehicle is Krisha Mrigam or Krishna Jinka (Blackbuck).

Archi (Hindu goddess)

Archi was an ideal queen and an avatar of Lakshmi in Hindu mythology. According to Bhagavata Purana, Archi is emerged from Vena’s body, along with her husband, maharaja Prithu and considered as an avatar of the wealth goddess Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu.

Balambika

Balambika (Deity) is a goddess of the Hindu religion, usually found in South India. Her name means “Goddess Of Knowledge”, or “Child Goddess”.

Ashapura Mata

Ashapura Mata is one of aspect devi and one of the principle deity of Kutch. As the name indicates, she is the Goddess who fulfills the wish & desires of all those who trust and believe her. The unique thing about most of the idol of Ashapura Mata is that it has 7 pairs of eyes.

Ashokasundari

Ashokasundari or Ashoka Sundari, is a goddess and the daughter of Shiva and Parvati in Hinduism. She is referenced to in the Padma Purana, which narrates her story. The goddess is mostly venerated in South India in the form of Bala Tripurasundari. Her son is called Yayati.

Ashta Lakshmi

Ashta Lakshmi or Ashtalakshmi are a group of eight manifestations of Devi Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. She presides over eight sources of wealth: “Wealth” in the context of Ashta-Lakshmi means prosperity, good health, knowledge, strength, progeny, and power.

Asikni (goddess)

In Hindu mythology, Asikni, also known as Panchajani and Virani, is a consort of Daksha in the Puranic pantheon. Most scriptures mention her as the mother of 6000 sons and 60 daughters.

Asvayujau

In Hinduism, Asvayujau is a goddess of good luck, joy and happiness.

Badi Mata

Badi Mata is a Hindu goddess of disease, one of a group of seven sister goddesses with similar associations. Badi Mata is worshipped by some tribes in India, such as the Saharia, and the Kamar. Her worshippers believe that her wrath causes people to suffer from smallpox. The worshippers sacrifice goats to appease her.

Bahuchara Mata

Bahuchara Mata is a Hindu goddess of chastity and fertility in her Maiden aspect, of the incarnation of the Mother aspect of Shakti. She is considered patroness of the hijra community. Her primary temple is located in Becharaji town in Mehsana district of Gujarat, India.

Bala Tripurasundari

Bālā Tripurasundarī, Kumārikā or simply Bālā (‘child’) is the daughter of the Hindu goddess Tripura Sundari, the consort of Lord Kameshwara. She was born from the goddess and Sri Kameshwara. She is a form of the goddess Ashokasundari.

Devi Kanya Kumari

Devi Kanya Kumari is goddess Parvati in the form of an adolescent girl child. Devi is also known as Shree Baala Bhadra or Shree Baala. She is popularly known as “sakthi” “Devi”. The Bhagavathy Temple is located in Cape Kanya Kumari in Tamil Nadu, at the southern tip of main land India, there by located on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. She is also known by several other names, including Kanya Devi and Devi Kumari. She is also worshiped as Shree Bhadrakali by devotees. Sage Parashurama is said to have performed the consecration of the temple. The goddess is believed to be the one who removes the rigidity of our mind; devotees usually feel the tears in their eyes or even inside their mind when they pray to the goddess in devotion and contemplation.

Dewi Ratih

Dewi Ratih, also known as Sang Hyang Ratih or Sang Hyang Semara Ratih, is a Hindu lunar goddess worshipped in Java and Bali. She is well known for her beauty and grace, thus she was also known as the Goddess of Beauty. Her myth is linked to lunar eclipses.

Mata Sarthal Devi Mandir

Mata Sartal Devi Mandir is an important Temple at Sarthal near Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir state of India.

Lajja Gauri

Lajjā Gaurī is a lotus-headed Hindu Goddess associated with abundance, fertility and sexuality, sometimes euphemistically described as Lajja (“modesty”). She is sometimes shown in a birthing posture, but without outward signs of pregnancy.

Kaushiki

‘Kaushiki'(MahaSaraswati) is a Hindu goddess. She is an affiliation of Shakti and a form of Parvati Devi. Her beauty had attracted many asuras who met her as messengers in her glittering beautiful palace. She was a great woman warrior, raised on her fierce lion or tiger. This form of her fierce fire was the essence of her beauty. There are many temples for her worship. She also has 8 hands and Trishula, chakra, pestle, etc. in them. She is also known as Goddess Ambika in SkandaPuran and Devi Mahatmya(part of the Markandeya Purana) who appeared from the body of Parvati and slayed the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh. She is also called Jwala Devi at her Shakti Peetha location. According to the Devi Mahatmya, her daughter is Chamunda, a goddess who was originally a deity of only some tribes in India.

Khemukhi

Khemukhi is the name of one of the 64 yoginis, which was a secret and esoteric female cult between the 9th and 13th century. In Hinduism, the term yogini refers to a female yogi in general, but the term 64 yoginis refers to a tantric and secret female cult worshiping Hindu Goddess Durga. Khemukhi is the goddess whose broken statue is found in the 64 yogini temple in Bhedaghat in the Jabalpur District in India. Her name is most probably derived from Khe – In The Sky and mukhi – faced.

Khodiyar

Khodiyar Maa is a warrior Hindu goddess born in Charan caste around 700 AD. She was daughter of Mamad Ji Charan.

Khyati

Khyati, a figure in Hindu mythology, is the daughter of the god Daksha (दक्ष) and his consort, Prasuti.

Kolaramma

Kolaramma is the presiding deity of the town of Kolar in Karnataka. The Kolaramma temple is thousand years old and built by the Cholas in the South Indian style. Goddess Parvathi is worshipped as Kolaramma by the people of Kolar. The erstwhile maharajas of Mysore frequently visited this temple to get the blessings of Kolaramma. The temple itself has beautifully carved statues and designs all done using the abundantly available granite stones.

Korravai

Korravai or Korravi was the goddess of war and victory in ancient Tamil pantheon. She was considered the mother of Murugan, the Hindu god of war, now patron god of Tamil Nadu. The earliest references to Kotravai are found in the ancient Tamil grammar Tolkappiyam, considered to be the earliest work of the ancient Sangam literature. Kotravai is identified with goddess Durga. In early iconography, Kotravai is presented as fierce and bloodthirsty.

Kurupuram

Kurupuram is a holy place associated with Shripad Shri Vallabha who is considered as first avatars (incarnations) of the deity Shri Dattatreya in Kaliyuga. This village is located on the banks of Krishna river in border of Telangana & Karnataka states, India. This village is also known as Kuruvapur,kurugadda, kurugaddi,vallabhapuram.

Lankini

Lankini was a powerful Rakshasi from the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. Her name literally means “The Deity of Lanka” as she was the female personification of the city itself and was the guardian to the doors of Lanka.

Kateri Amman

Kateri Amman , also spelt as Kaateri, is a form of Maha Devi who was created to destroy sickness and disease in the dark age of Kaliyuga. Kateri is also known as The Sister of Kali Maa and Ganga Maa by her devotees. She works alongside Ganga Maa in Caribbean Kali worship to remove diseases and to grant children to their devotees. She is believed to go within the deepest parts of a devotee’s body to remove sicknesses. However, in some countries Kateri is also used in sorcery.

Agneya

Agneyi is mentioned in the Harivamsha and the Vishnu Purana as the wife of Ūru and the mother of the kings Anga, Sumanas, Khyaati, Kratu and Sibi. Her father Agni is the Hindu God of Fire and has been revered and worshipped throughout the Indian subcontinent right from Vedic times to the modern era.

Maalikapurathamma

Maalikapurathamma is the goddess who is worshipped in a subsidiary shrine at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Maalikapurathamma Temple is visited after having darshan of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.Malikappurathamma is also called Manchambika and Mancha mathavu.

Madayi Kavu

Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathi Temple is the mother temple of all Bhadrakali shrines of North Kerala. The deity is the Fierce form of Bhadrakali. The Bhagavathy is addressed by tantrics in the vicinity as Tiruvarkkad Achchi due to this. The temple administration is Malabar Devaswom Board. The temple is a revered shrine of Chirakkal Royal Family and a shrine of Chirakkal devaswom before. The temple is situated in Madayi, Payangadi, hence prominently known as Madayi Kavu.

Maisamma

Maisamma, also known as Mesai and spelt also Mesko, Amma in Telugu or Aai in Marathi is a Hindu folk goddess. She is mainly worshipped as South Indian mother goddess, predominant in the rural areas of Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Her worship mainly focuses on curing diseases like smallpox, and chicken pox.

Malabai

Malabai is an Indian goddess. She is also known as Malganga Devi, Mulika Devi, and Malai Devi. She came from the Varanasi area and settled at Kunda. She has 6 sisters in different places. Nighoj is famous for the Malabai Temple and Kund (Potholes).

Manda (goddess)

In Hinduism, Manda or Dhamini is the second consort of Shani and mother of Gulikan. She is a Gandharva daughter and princess. She is the goddess of Kalā. Her Nrtya/Dance can attract anyone in the whole Brahman (Universe).

Manisha

Manisha is the Hindu goddess of the mind. When used in this context, it symbolizes intelligence and desire. Manisha = Mann + Iccha according to Sandhi Vicched in Hindi, which means my wish.

Mara (Hindu goddess)

Mara is a Sanskrit word meaning “death” or any personification thereof. In Hinduism, Mara is the goddess of death and offerings would be placed at her altar. Though much less popular, some sects of worship do exist in India. Her counterpart in Latvian mythology is Māra.

Katyayani

Katyayani or Mahalakshmi is the sixth form amongst Navadurga or the nine forms of Hindu goddess Durga (Shakti), worshipped during the Navratri celebrations..she has 18 or 10 hands or 4 hands also. This is the second name given for Goddess Parvati Or Adi Parashakti in Amarakosha, the Sanskrit lexicon . In Shaktism she is associated with the fierce forms of Shakti or Durga, a Warrior goddess, which also includes Bhadrakali and Chandika, and traditionally she is associated with the colour red, as with Goddess Durga, the primordial form of Shakti, a fact also mentioned in Patanjali’s Mahabhashya on Pāṇini, written in 2nd century BCE.

Kannagi

Kannagi is a legendary Tamil woman who forms the central character of the Tamil epic Silapathikaram. The story relates how Kannagi took revenge on the Pandyan King of Madurai, who had wrongfully put her husband Kovalan to death. She cursed the entire town of Madurai. Silapathikaram tells the story of her revenge and is written by Ilango Adigal.

Dhavdi

Dhavdi is a Hindu Goddess. There is a temple dedicated to Maa (Mother) Dhavdi in Dhrangadhra, Gujarat. Rhinoceros is her Vahana.

Ila (Hinduism)

Ila or Ilā is an androgyne deity in Hindu mythology, known for their sex changes. As a man, he is known as Sudyumna and as a woman, is called Ilā. Ilā is considered the chief progenitor of the Lunar dynasty of Indian kings – also known as the Ailas.

Dhisana

Dhisana is one of the Hindu goddess of prosperity in Hinduism. She appears sometimes in the hymns in most of the mandala in Rig Veda one of the vedas. She had also been mentioned as the goddess of fire, sun, moon & stars.

Diti

In Hinduism, Diti is an earth goddess.

Ekanamsha

Ekanamsha is a Hindu goddesss, identified with Yoganidra a.k.a. Arya. In Sanskrit, Ekanamsha means “the single, portionless one” and it is a name of the new moon. The Indian Theogony: According to S. C. Mukherji, a modern scholar, in the Harivamsa, Ekanamsha is identified as a shakti of Vishnu, she descended as the daughter of Nanda to protect the baby Krishna from Kamsa. In Harivamsa, she is represented as sister of Indra due to which she is also known as Kaushiki. Visnudharmottara purana describes her as Gandhari and this Gandhari represents Lakshmi, Dhrti, Kirti, Pusti, Sraddha, Sarasvati, Gayatri and Kalaratri. According to the Harivamsa (II.4.37-41), she was worshipped by the Vrishnis. Many “kinship triads”, depicting Vasudeva Krishna, Balarama and their sister Ekanamsha have been found in the Mathura region, which are stylistically dated to the early centuries of the Common era.

Gandheswari

Gandheswari is a goddess worshiped by Gandhabanik community, is an incarnation of Goddess Durga She is worshiped during Baishaki Purnima by Gandhabanik community. It has been said that she saved Gandhabati from Gandhasura. She has four arms and is seen seated on a lion. Gandhabanik community worships her for their development in their business.

Ganga (goddess)

Ganga is the personification of the river Ganges who is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess of purification and forgiveness. Known by many names, Ganga is often depicted as a fair, beautiful woman, riding a divine crocodile-like creature called the Makara. Some of the earliest mentions of Ganga are found in the Rigveda, where she is mentioned as the holiest of the rivers. Her stories mainly appear in post-Vedic texts such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas.

Harsidhhi

Harsidhhi is a regional Hindu goddess, popular in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, adjoining Maharashtra states of India.

Hemadryamba

Hemadryambha is the golden goddess regarded as the grāmadevatā of the Bannur municipal town region located next to the Kodanda Rama Deva temple. She is regarded as the one of the Saptha Matruka’s where the other forms of the goddess are associated with nearby districts.

Hidimbi

Hiḍimbī, is the wife of the Pandava Bhima and mother of greatest warrior Veer Ghatotkacha in the Mahābhārata. She meets Bhima in the 9th sub-parva of the Adi Parva.

Jagaddhatri

Jagaddhatri or Jagadhatri is an aspect of the Hindu goddess Durga, who is particularly worshipped in the Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha. Her cult is directly derived from Tantra where she is a symbol of sattva beside Durga and Kali, respectably symbolized with Rajas and Tamas.

Kanike

Kanike or कनिका in Hindi, literally translates as a granule. It is usually a tiny gift, made of paper, left to please the gods. Its origins go back over 2000 years. The practice of leaving a Kanike may have stemmed from Jainism, although it is mainly associated with Hinduism, especially lesser Gods, such as Chelamma, the scorpion Goddess.

Jaganmata

In Hinduism, Jaganmata is considered to be an incarnation of the goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. Jaganmata is also considered to be a form of Bhuvaneshvari, another incarnation of Parvati.

Jagdamba

Jagdamba, also known as Devi Jagdamba, Jagdamba Mata, Jagdambika or Amba-bai, is a Hindu goddess who is mostly worshiped in Maharashtra, India. Jagdamba translates to “Universe Mother” and she is considered to be the mother of the entire universe.

Jayanti (Hinduism)

In Hindu mythology, Jayanti is the daughter of Indra, the king of the devas and ruler of Svarga, and his consort Shachi. She is described as the wife of Shukra, the god of the planet Venus and the guru of the asuras. Their union results in the birth of a daughter, Devayani. Jayanti is described as the sister of Jayanta.Jayanti also refers to one of the eight eternal companions (Ashtanayika) of Goddes Durga.

Jivdani Mata

Jivdani Mata is a Hindu Goddess. The main temple of the goddess is situated atop a hill, in Virar, Maharashtra, India.

Jwala Ji

Jwala Ji is a Hindu Goddess. Alternative spellings and names for Jwala Ji include Jawala Ji, Jwala Devi and Jwalamukhi Ji. The physical manifestation of Jwala Ji is always a set of eternal flames, and the term Jwala means flame in Sanskrit and Ji is an honorific used in the Indian subcontinent.

Jyestha (goddess)

Jyestha or Jyeshtha is the Hindu goddess of inauspicious things and misfortune. She is regarded as the elder sister and antithesis of Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune and beauty.

Jyoti (goddess)

The goddess Jyoti is considered to be a Hindu goddess of light and the “Vel”. She is the daughter of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and is closely associated with her brother Lord Murugan because she is the goddess of “vel”.

Kamadhenu

Kamadhenu, also known as Surabhi, is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as the mother of all cows. Kamadhneu is also known as a Gayatri and worshipped as a heavenly cow. She is a miraculous “cow of plenty” who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often portrayed as the mother of other cattle. In iconography, she is generally depicted as a white cow with a female head and breasts, the wings of a bird, and the tail of a peafowl or as a white cow containing various deities within her body. All cows are venerated in Hinduism as the earthly embodiment of the Kamadhenu. As such, Kamadhenu is not worshipped independently as a goddess, and temples are not dedicated to her honor alone; rather, she is honored by the veneration of cows in general throughout the observant Hindu population.

Maa Tarini

Maa Tarini is one of the embodiments of Shakti and is one of the chief presiding Goddesses in Odia culture. Her chief shrine is in Ghatgaon, Keonjhar District, Odisha.