Full Stop India

// Shiva literally means “auspiciousness, welfare”. He is the third god of the Hindu Triad and is the destroyer of all evil. He represents darkness (tamas), and is said to be the ‘angry god’. However, according to Hinduism, creation follows destruction. Therefore Shiva is also regarded as a reproductive power, which restores what has been [...]

Vishnu, (from the Sanskrit root ‘vish’, to pervade) is the second god of the Hindu triad and as the preserver of the universe represents mercy and goodness. He is said to be the cosmic ocean nara, meaning water, which was the only thing in existence before the creation of the universe. For this reason, he [...]

I had convinced myself not to see the Kathakali dance program scheduled upon my arrival in Fort Kochi. The drive into this city was long, my time was very short, and I had a list chock full of sightseeing to work through. No matter what excuse I gave, my driver Selvam, was not going to [...]

Who is He? Creator of the universe, the Supreme Being, the god of gods; Lord Brahma is known as these and many other titles. Brahma is the first and least popularly worshiped god of the Hindu Trinity. Shiva and Vishnu, who make up the two other gods, are wildly popular with countless temples devoted to [...]

Many Hindu deities/gods are shown with multiple arms. Why is this? Image worship over time became a significant contributor to Indian religion. Rituals for the individual deity were written in greater detail with some gods known for having several qualities. This resulted in a problem for artists attempting to create visually correct images. The result? [...]