The demon Tarakasura created havoc in the universe. He obtained a boon that he would be killed by only Shiva’s son, but lord Shiva had gone to meditate after the death of his first wife Sati. Kamadeva was instructed by the gods to make lord Shiva fall in love again. Kamadeva went to Mount Kailash with his consort Rati and Vasanta (spring), and shot his love-arrows at lord Shiva and invoked desire. Wounded by Kamadeva's arrows, lord Shiva becomes attracted to Parvati, the reincarnation of Sati, but he (lord Shiva) opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kamadeva's body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kamadeva's wife Rati, Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and mental state of love rather than physical lust. 

The grief-stricken Rati did severe penance and lord Shiva assured her that Kamadeva would be reborn as Pradyumna, as the son of lord Krishna and Rukmini on earth. On advice of lord Shiva, Rati assumed the form of demon Sambrasura's kitchen-maid Mayavati and awaited her husband's arrival in Sambrasura's house. Sambrasura is foretold that he was killed by Pradyumna. Sambrasura found out that Kamadeva was born as Pradyumna, the son of Krishna and his wife Rukmini. He stole the child and threw him in the ocean, where the child was swallowed by a fish. This fish was caught by fishermen and sent to Sambrasura's kitchen. When the fish was cut, the child is found by Mayavati, who decided to nurture him. The sage Narada revealed to Mayavati that she was Rati and the child was Kamadeva and she was to nurture him. As the child grew up, the motherly love of Mayavati changed to the passionate love of a wife. Mayavati told him the secret of their previous births as narrated by sage Narada and that he was not her son, but that of lord Krishna and Rukmini. Mayavati trained Pradyumna in magic and war and advised him to kill Sambrasura. Pradyumna killed him. He returned to Dwaraka with Mayavati as his wife. 

Goddess Rati stands for sexual pleasure, carnal desire and sexuality. Goddess Rati represents only the pleasure aspect of sexual activity and does not relate to child-birth or motherhood. Rati is not only Kamadeva’s consort, but she is also his assistant and constant companion, who arouses sexual feelings. Kamadeva is usually depicted with Rati along his side. Rati also enjoys worship with Kamadeva in some festival rites dedicated to him. all paintings are of courtesy of Art of Legend India.

Goddess Parvati is the consort of Lord Shiva and the mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. She is a well known goddess in the Hindu mythology, who is considered as a representation of Shakti. She is beautifully presented in the Hindu scriptures as being beautiful. She has a charming personality. She is worshipped by married women for a happy married life. The word Parvati has been derived from a Sanskrit word "Parvat", which means mountain. So, the name Parvati suggests that she is the daughter of Himavan and Mena.

Goddess Parvati is believed to be one of the many forms of the ‘Divine Shakti’. She is also known as goddess Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga etc. Goddess Durga and goddess Kali are the two fierce but very powerful forms of Parvati. Goddess Parvati symbolizes noble virtues admired by the Hinduism. She married Lord Shiva, the most innocent and the fiercest lord in Hinduism. There are legends behind the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati, being a great devotee of Lord Shiva, goddess Parvati did a long penance in order to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Her dedication was really true which made Lord Shiva to marry her.

 The divine motherly love of Parvati is visible with her two children Ganesha and Kartikaya. She is usually represented as a fair and beautiful woman. The color of her clothes is milk-white, the color of enlightenment and knowledge. She is generally depicted with Lord Shiva and two of her children Ganehsa and Kartikeya. The family of Lord Shiva, Parvati and their sons Ganesha and Kartikeya is an ideal example of family unity and love.

Goddess Parvati symbolizes noble virtues admired by the Hindu religion. Parvati is the better half of Lord Shiva, the most innocent and the fiercest god in Hindu tradition. The couple together symbolizes both power of renunciation and asceticism and the blessings of marital felicity. There are legends behind the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati, being a devotee of Shiv-Shambhu. Parvati did a lot of tap in order to get Shiva as her soul mate. Parvati's dedication was really true which made Lord Shiva to marry her.

Goddess Bhuvaneshvari is the queen or ruler of the universe (Bhuvana). She is the Divine Mother and the queen of all the worlds. She is the fourth of the ten Mahavidyas. she is considered as the supreme goddesses who creates everything and destroys all the unnecessary evils of world. She is also considered as the Mother goddess of Kali, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. She is also known as Om Shakti or Adi Shakti. According to the Hindu mythology, she is considered as the most powerful goddess in the universe. The whole universe is considered her body. She resides at Manidweepam, which was created out of her own thought.

Worshipping her promotes a cosmic vision and absolves us from the narrowness of opinion and belief. She gives us world vision, a global understanding and a sense of the infinite. There are numerous legends associated with her. In all forms she played the role of creator and protector. She is mainly associated with lord Shiva and some consider her as an incarnation of the goddess Parvati. Goddess Bhuvaneswari is a symbol of beauty and grace. She represents knowledge and intelligence. She is the giver of wealth, health and happiness. Scriptures describe her brighter than thousand of Suns. She is also worshipped by Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Goddess Bhuvaneshwari is the preeminent and a nurturer of the whole humanity. Her appearance is somber and her complexion is red. She blesses her devotees by making them fearless. Her complexion is red like a rising Sun and has three eyes. She possesses moon in her crown. Her soft smile gives information about her favor and kindness. A hook and a noose in her hand exhibit her controlling power over the universe. She is capable of turning situations according to her wish. It is considered that even the navagrahas cannot stop her from doing anything. She is always depicted with a smiling face. Her smiling face is meant to cheer-up devotees for happiness. She has the four hands; two of which bless the devotees. Bhuvaneshvari Jayanti is believed to be the day when Goddess Bhuvaneshvari incarnated on earth. On this day, she is worshipped throughout India and special worships are performed in her honor. All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

Goddess Dhumavati is one of the Mahavidyas, a group of ten Tantric goddesses. The others are Kali, Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Matangi, Kamala and Baglamukhi. The Mahavidyas represent some incarnations or manifestations of the Divine Mother. Dhumavati is the smoky form of Shakti, who is also known as the eternal widow, the Shakti without Shiva. She represents the fearsome aspect of the Divine Mother. She is often portrayed as an old, ugly widow, and is associated with things considered inauspicious and unattractive in Hinduism. In this aspect, the Divine mother is often portrayed as a hideous hag with cruel eyes, sagging breasts and a toothless mouth; riding in a chariot drawn by crows. She is not commonly known. Her symbolic animal is the crow, a carrion eater. 

Goddess Dhumavati is described as a giver of the supernatural powers (siddhis), a rescuer from all troubles and a granter of all desires and rewards, including ultimate knowledge and salvation. Goddess Dhumavati has a thin, tall, unhealthy body and has a pale complexion. Dhumavati is always considered a widow, and thus, is the only Mahavidya without a consort. She is described as restless and wicked, who wears old and dirty clothes. Her eyes are fearsome, her nose long and crooked, her ears are ugly and rough and her breasts hang down. Her worship is also prescribed for those who wish to defeat their foes. Her worship is considered ideal for unpaired members of society, such as bachelors, widows etc. It is considered better to worship her during the night. The place for her worship is cemetery, where worshipper should worship her with naked body except underwear or it should be a lonely place. There are very few temples dedicated to Dhumavati, but her worship by Tantric ritual continues in private in secluded places like cremation grounds and forests.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

According to Indian mythology, Rahu represents the head of a demon. Rahu is responsible for Solar Eclipse. When Rahu, Sun and Moon are in the same zodiacal longitude Solar Eclipse takes place. He is a 'shudra graha', hence people influenced by Rahu behave like illiterate and uncultured people. It rules over thieves, witches, magicians, poison, snakes etc.

Rahu has a smoky appearance with a blue mixed physique. He resides in forests and is horrible. He is vata in temperament and is intelligent. Rahu is depicted in black clothes, who holds a sword, a shield, and a trident in his three hands, respectively. His fourth hand is raised in a gesture of blessing. He sits on a lion. Rahu's chariot, which is pulled by eight black horses, is represented as a form of darkness itself. Rahu is considered the deity of the shadow (Chhaya) of the Earth. He covers the Earth with this shadow during eclipses to such a degree that people on Earth get confused by the darkness he creates. While Rahu has no body like the other planets, and is the point where the Sun and Moon's orbits cross each other, Rahu can be seen by the shadow he creates.

Rahu is friendly towards Saturn, Mercury and Venus and neutral towards Mars and Jupiter. He is the enemy of Sun and Moon. For Rahu related problems worship lord Bhairava or lord Shiva, recite the Rahu stotra, fast on Saturdays and wear an 8 mukhi Rudraksha.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

In Vedic astrology, the planet Mars is known as Mangala, Kuja and Angaraka. These names in Sanskrit mean auspicious, burning coal and fair. Mars is the zodiac ruler of Aries and Scorpio. He is considered to be about 16 years old. He has four arms, holding a mace, trident and other war weapons. He has red hair and his hairy body is also reddish. His vehicle is a ram and he wears red garments. Mars is regarded as Bhumiputra or Kuja, the Son of the Earth. At one point in creation, the planet Earth was submerged in the celestial waters. Lord Vishnu came and lifted the earth out of the water, placing it in its orbit. Mother Earth was most grateful for this and offered to bear a child for lord Vishnu. He agreed, and out of their union came the planet Mars. A variation on this myth states that Mars was the result of the union of Shiva and Mother Earth. 

Once when Lord Shiva was engrossed in deep meditation upon his abode Mount Kailash, three drops of perspiration originated from his forehead and fell down on the earth. From those drops manifested a very beautiful infant, who was of reddish complexion and who had four arms. The child was handed over to the mother Earth for upbringing by Lord Shiva. The child was named Bhauma as he was nurtured and brought up by 'Bhumi' (mother Earth). The planets Sun, Moon and Jupiter are all considered friendly to him, while he is hostile to Mercury. His caste is Kshatriya (warrior). 

Mars is also called Angaraka or Burning Coal. Some people are fearful of Mars's fierce effects and try to appease him by calling him mangala, "The Auspicious One." Great importance has been attached for Mars’ worship in our sacred books. Mangal Pooja is performed to appease planet Mars. Mars is the ‘Prince’ among all the planets. Performing Mangal pooja can reduce the troubles and hurdles caused due to malefic position of Mars in the horoscope. Mars represents the virtues of bravery, patience, tolerance, spirit, steadiness and also the vices of anger, lies, disgustingness, jealousy, protectiveness and excitements etc. A prayer to this planet frees one from debts, poverty and illness.All paintings are Courtesy of Art of Legend India.

Kalabhairava is the fierce manifestation of lord Shiva. The Sanskrit meaning of the word ‘Bhairava’ is ‘terrible’ or ‘frightful’. He is depicted ornamented with a range of twisted serpents, which serve as earrings, bracelets, anklets and sacred thread. He wears a tiger skin and a ritual apron composed of human bones. Bhairava has a dog as his vehicle. He is worshipped as an incarnation of Lord Shiva by some Shaivaites. He is one of the most important deities of Nepal. He is blue-throated from swallowing the poison to save the world; He is three-eyed with eternal supreme wisdom in his third eye. His eyes are like Lotus flowers. He is Death of death being the vanquisher of death. He is indestructible, wears the garland of human skulls and carries the trident. It is believed that if we worship Lord Bhairava, he would protect our assets and wealth. He is the form of Shiva who controls the growth and management of time. Whoever wants to spend, manage or ration their time in a proper manner should worship him. He is also considered the guardian of temples of Lord Shiva. 

Kalabhairava is usually depicted in a fierce form decorated with serpents and carrying a head, which according to the Puranas, was the fourth head of Lord Brahma which lord Shiva in his aspect as Kalabhairava cut off to teach him a lesson. Kalabhairava is one of the eight Bharaiva fierce manifestations of Lord Shiva. Eight manifestations of kala Bhairava are said to guard the eight spatial directions and the abode of Lord Shiva. The eight manifestations are Kala Bhairava, Asitanga Bhairava, Samhara Bhairava, Ruru Bhairava, Krodha Bhairava, Kapala Bhairava, Rudra Bhirava and Unmatta Bhairava.

The story of origin of Kalabhairava is interesting. Once, lord Vishnu asked Lord Brahma that who is the supreme creator of the Universe. Arrogantly, Brahma told Vishnu to worship him because he (Brahma) is the supreme creator. This angered lord Shiva who, in reality is the creator of all. Therefore, lord Shiva incarnated himself in the form of Kalabhairava to punish Brahma. Bhairava beheaded one of Brahma's five heads. Cutting off Brahma's fifth head made him guilty of Brahmanicide, and as a result, he was forced to carry around the head for years until he had been absolved of the sin. He was advised to go to Varanasi and worship Goddess Annapurneswari to get rid of the sin. He did so and freed himself from sin. Lord Shiva then appointed him to guard the holy city of Varanasi.

One another story of the origin of lord Kalabhairava is the story of Sati, the daughter of Daksha and wife of lord Shiva. After the marriage of Shiva and Sati, Daksha organized a yagna (a ritualistic sacrifice) and invited all the gods, excepting Shiva and Sati. Sati came to the yagna alone, where Daksha insulted Shiva. Sati could not tolerate her husband’s insult and offered herself to the sacrificial fire. 

When Shiva came to know about the incident of Sati, he destroyed Daksha’s yagna and beheaded him. Shiva carried Sati's corpse on his shoulders and ran uncontrollably all around the world for days. Since this would eventually destroy all creation, lord Vishnu used his divine discus to cut Sati's body into pieces, which then fell all around. These spots where Sati's body parts fell are now known as Shakti Peethas. In the form of the frightful Bhairava, lord Shiva guards each of these Shaktipeeths. Each Shaktipeeth temple is accompanied by a temple of lord Kalabhairava. 

Kalabhairava is worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists alike. He is also referred to as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya. It is believed that worshipping Kalabhairava would solve most of the problems which are pending for a long time. Those who wish to improve their time management skills should worship him.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

Lakshmana was lord Rama’s younger brother, who is, according to the Hindu mythology, considered an incarnation of Sheshnaga. Sheshnaga is the thousand headed serpent upon whom Lord Vishnu rests in the Ksheerasagara. Lakshmana is said to be an eternal companion of lord Vishnu in all incarnations. He was the twin brother of Shatrughna, born in Ayodhya to Sumitra, the second wife of the king Dasharatha. He married with Urmila, Sita’s sister. Lord Rama was the eldest, Bharata was the second, Lakshmana was the third, and Shatrughna was the youngest of the four brothers. In the images of lord Rama, he is also depicted with Rama and Sita. Lakshmana's life is a symbol of duties performed by a man towards his elders and also depicts the nature of selflessness in a man's character. Lakshmana would not sleep for a moment when Rama was not present. Lakshmana would not eat, if Rama was not present. Devotion to Rama was so intense in Lakshmana that he filled his heart with a feeling that everything that was present belonged to Rama.

Lakshmana is worshipped for his absolute devotion to Rama. For example, when lord Rama was exiled for 14 years, Lakshmana followed him to the forest instead of staying back in the palace and enjoying life. He served lord Rama throughout his whole life and loved, respected and obeyed Rama completely. In the forest, he spent all his energy and time in taking care of and serving Rama and Sita. He followed Rama’s instructions promptly. In the forest, he helped Rama in killing the demons. He is generally considered to be rather short-tempered when compared to Rama. They both went with the sage Vishvamitra to kill demons; who disturbed yagnas of the sages. He also played a very important role in the great epic Ramayana. He killed Kumbhakarna and other powerful demons.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

Gautama Buddha, who founded Buddhism, is considered the spiritual teacher and philosopher. Buddhism is based on Buddha’s teachings. Buddhism is a philosophy, a moral code and for some a religious faith which originated 2,500 years ago in India. Gautama Buddha is the primary figure in Buddhism. He is considered the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Seeing the darkness of ignorance, cruelty, degeneration and unrighteousness everywhere, Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as Buddha. Buddha's original name was Siddhartha. It meant one who had accomplished his aim. Gautama was Siddhartha's family name. He is also known as Shakyamuni, because he was born in the shakya clan. Siddhartha was known all over the world as Buddha. Buddha was born to save the people and disseminate the message of equality, unity and cosmic love everywhere in the world. He spent his boyhood in Kapilavastu and its surrounding areas.

The primary sources of information regarding Buddha's life are the Buddhist texts. According to them, Buddha was born to Suddhodhana and Maya. He was born in B.C. 560 and died at the age of eighty in B.C. 480. The place of his birth was a grove known as Lumbini, near Kapilavastu. One day, as the queen Maya was resting in her palace, she dreamt that a white elephant carrying a white lotus in its trunk entered into her womb. Sometime later, a baby was born to the queen. He was named Siddhartha Gautama. Gautama Buddha's father, Suddhodana, was the king of the Sakhyas. Maya died seven days after her son's birth, and the child was brought up by Maya's sister Mahaprajapati, who became its foster-mother. A group of astrologers predicted that the young prince would grow up to be either a great emperor, or that he would turn his back on privilege and power to become a great sacred leader. The prince grew up within the palace walls, having no contact with the outside world. Prince Siddhartha married a beautiful princess named Yashodhara and a son was born to them, whose name was Rahul. They all lived happily together within the world of wealth and power.

One day, when walking with his servant Channa, the sight of a feeble old man, a sick man and a monk finally induced Siddhartha to renounce the world. He felt that he also would become a prey to old age, disease and death. So, at the age of twenty-nine, Buddha suddenly abandoned his home to devote himself entirely in the search of spiritual knowledge and Yogic practices. He travelled many places for the enlightenment. After going through a life of self-denial, discipline and meditation, he attained enlightenment. Gautama quit his palace for the life of a mendicant. Buddha did not attach any importance to religious rituals; he laid great emphasis on internal purity. Buddha's emphasis was entirely on purity in every aspect of daily life. Purity in vision, purity in thought, purity in speech and purity in action. 

Buddha set on a journey of teaching people the path to enlightenment that would liberate them from the cycle of life and death. Through seeking guidance and meditation, Siddhartha achieved Enlightenment. From that point, he was known as the Buddha, which means 'Enlightened One'. For the rest of his life, the Buddha travelled several places teaching people about the path to salvation. Buddha went to Shravasti, the capital of the kingdom of Kosala. Here a wealthy merchant gave him residence and beautiful forest. Buddha spent many rainy seasons there and delivered several grand discourses. Thus Lord Buddha preached his doctrine for over forty-five years traveling from place to place. Buddha’s quotes are very famous and they contain deep meanings. After the Buddha's death, his pupils continued to spread his teachings. Buddha's disciples, Sariputta, Mahamoggallana, Mahakasyapa, Ananda and Anuruddha are believed to have been the five closest to him.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend india.

Karttikeya is the Lord Shiva's eldest son, who is also known as Kumara, Skanda, Subramanya, Shanmukha or Muruga (the last name used in Tamil Nadu). As Kartikeya he is designated the deity of war, guarding right and destroying evil. Hindu myths profess that he is interested in nothing but battles and warlike adventures. As Shanmukha, the six-headed, he teaches that we have five senses and the mind, and only when all six are in harmony is there spiritual growth. As Subramanya, he has two consorts, Valli and Devasena, who embody Jnana Shakti, the power of knowledge and Kriya Shakti, the power of action. He rides the peacock, reminding us not to let pride and egotism get the better of us. In his hand he holds the sharp spear, symbolizing the developed sharp intellect, and with it he guards the spiritual progress of the world.

Karttikeya was the chief battle god of the Hindu pantheon. He was born to combat demon power. An asura named Taraka had so propitiated Brahma by the performance of his austerities that Brahma was forced to grant him the boon that he desired: invulnerability to alI but a son of Shiva. At that time Shiva had no sons and just lost his wife Sati, who had thrown herself to her father Daksha's sacrificial fire. Lord Shiva was in no mood to marry again and was engaged most ferociously in the practice of austerities, so Taraka considered that he had nothing to fear. Protected by his boon, he set about extending his domains, and managed to subdue not only the creatures of the earth but also to inflict humiliation on the gods. lndra was forced to give him his wonderful white horse. Due to the terror of Taraka, the Sun gave no heat and the moon remained full at all times. 

The gods consulted together, how they could put down the tyrant and persuade Shiva to marry again. They decided that Sati should be reborn as the beautiful Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas. When Parvati came of age of marriage she began to perform austerities in the hope of rendering herself worthy in the eyes of the great god. But Shiva took no notice of her, absorbed as he was in his own meditations. After several years of this Indra, despairing of Parvati’s success without outside assistance, ordered Kama, the god of love, to approach the great ascetic and arouse desire in his heart. Accordingly Kama went to Moun Kailasa, where he found Shiva sunk in yogic meditation, impervious to all around him. Kama hardly dared to accomplish his mission and stood looking on for some time. Just then, however, Parvati Came into sight, gathering flowers and looking so charming and beautiful that Kama dared to hope that Shiva would be gratified to see her. He loosed his arrow. As the shaft of love struck Shiva, desire woke in his heart and he perceived Parvati. But at the same time he saw Kama and, filled with anger at his audacity, instantaneously burned him to ashes by fixing on him his third eye. Though desire had been woken in Shiva's heart, the lord of asceticism did not give way to his passion, and was not even moved by several years more of austerities on the part of Parvati. Finally, however, he consented to marry her, to the delight of the other gods. But their pleasure was premature, for many years passed by and no children were born. Once more they consulted together and decided this time to send Agni as their ambassador to Shiva and to urge him to beget a son. Agni chanced to reach Mount Kailasa just as Shiva had left his wife and, taking the form of a dove, managed to pick up a seed of the great god. He immediately hastened back with it to Indra. The seed of Shiva, however, could not be supported by one of the lesser gods and as Agni travelled his burden seemed to grow heavier and heavier finally as he was passing over Ganges, he was forced to drop it. There on the banks of the river arouse a child as beautiful as the moon, as brilliant as the sun. This was Kartikeya. As he appeared on the bank of the Ganges the six Pleiades, daughter of six rajas, came to that spot to bathe. Each of them claimed beautiful boy, and each wished give him the breast; so Kantikeya acquired six mouths and was suckled by all of his foster-mothers. When the child grew up he became commander of the gods and, according to the boon slew the demon Taraka.All paintings are courtesy.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India

Garuda is a mythological bird usually described as having a human form with the head of a bird. He is king of the birds and son of Kashyapa and Vinita, one of Daksha’s daughters, who hatched from an egg which Vinita laid. He has the head, wings, talons and beak of an eagle and the body and limbs of a man. His face is white, his wings red and his body is golden. When he was born, he was so dazzlingly brilliant that he was mistaken for Agni and worshipped. 

Garuda was born with a great hatred of evils and roams about the world devouring the bad, his parents forbade him to eat Brahmins. He is popular for his relentless hatred for snakes, which he inherited from his mother, who was at odds with Kashyapa’s principal wife, Kadru, the mother of serpents. The two wives had an argument over the color of the horse Uchchaisravas, produced during the churning of the milk ocean. Each laid wager on her own history and promised that whoever was wrong should become the slave of other. Kadru was proved to be right and she imprisoned Vinita in the nether regions, where she was guarded by the serpents.

Garuda sought to release his mother, but the serpents demanded as a ransom a cup of the gods’ ambrosia. So Garuda set off for the celestial mountain where the amrita was kept, surrounded by the terrible flames which were fanned by violent winds that caused them to leap up to the sky. Garuda drank up many rivers and extinguished fire. The next barrier was a fast revolving wheel with bright, sharp spokes but Garuda made his body small and slipped through them. He then had to overcome two fire spitting snakes, so he blinded them with dust and cut them to pieces. He then turned back to the wheel, broke it and taking up the cup of amrita, flew with it to the nether regions, the gods pursued him and Indra struck him with his thunderbolt. They fought, Indra’s thunderbolt was smashed. Garuda felt no pain and continued until he reached the domain of the serpents. On his arrival his mother was released; but just as the serpents were about to drink amrita Indra snatched the cup away from them. The serpents greedily licked up the few drops which had spilt on to the grass and this was enough to make them immortal; but with its strength it also divided their tongues. 

A variant of the myth treats the amrita or soma demanded by the serpents as the moon and Garuda’s quest for it takes a different form. Garuda set off for the moon, but on his long journey he felt hungry just as he was passing the pole star, the abode of his father Kashyapa. He asked his father where he could find something to eat and Kashyapa sent him to a lake where a tortoise and elephant were fighting. He tortoise was eighty miles long and the elephant twice that length, but Garuda seized them, one in each claw, and put them on top of a tree eight hundred miles high. The tree could not bear their weight and was in danger of snapping and crushing some Brahmins. Mindful of his parents’ prohibition on killing of Brahmins, Garuda flew with the elephant and the tortoise to a mountain, where he consumed them. 

Garuda can easily traverse the universe from end to end. He can kill and eat poisonous snakes with no harmful consequences to himself. He played an important role in Krishna incarnation, in which Krishna and Satyabhama rode on Garuda to kill the demon Narakasura. On another occasion, Lord Vishnu rode on Garuda to save the devotee Gajendra, the elephant. He is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. He is depicted in a variety of ways, although most often he has the upper body and wings of an eagle with the lower body of a human. All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

Lord Dattatreya is Guru of all Gurus, who is considered an incarnation of the lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. He was born to the great Sage Atri and his devoted wife Anusuya, a sage couple of the Vedic age. The word Datta means "Given", Datta is called so because the divine trinity "gave" themselves in the form of a son to Atri and Anusuya. He is the son of great sage Atri, hence the name "Atreya" is added.

Anusuya became very famous for her devotion to her husband. To test her, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva transformed themselves into mendicants, approached the hermitage of sage Atri, at the time when sage Atri was out of the hermitage. They begged for alms, Anusuya came out and offered food to them. They requested Anusuya that the food be prepared and served to them by her in the nude position. In the Indian tradition any guest cannot be turned away, as they are considered to be an aspect of God. So, she bound by the rules of hospitility, agreed to accept their strange request. But such was the power of her chastity that when she brought the food, the three gods turned into infants whom Anasuya fed as a mother. After Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva showed their original form and blessed Anusuya that she will give birth a son, who will be the embodiment of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Thus lord Dattatreya was born.

In the general depictions, he is portrayed with a cow and four dogs at his feet. The cow represents the mother earth and four dogs represent the four Vedas. Dattatreya is generally depicted with three heads, symbolising Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva; past, present and future and creation, preservation and destruction. Dattatreya left home at an early age to wander naked in search of the Absolute. He came down to spread the universality of true religion. His presence is not limited to any one country or sphere, as he is considered the Guru (teacher)of all Gurus.

Lord Dattatreya observed nature carefully, the elements, the sun and the moon, birds and animals, men and women and gained an insight into the nature of the world. Inspired, he went on to compose the Avadhuta Gita- the song of the recluse, that explains the doctrine of detachment. Through various occult sciences like Tantra and mystical disciplines like Yoga, Dattatreya taught mankind the means to yoke oneself to the way of the cosmos. His students called him the fountainhead of all knowledge, the supreme teacher, Adinatha. He wandered around the world as a mendicant with his cow, Bhoodevi herself, and four dogs.All courtesy of Art of Legend India.

Lord Hanuman is a monkey deity renowned for his learning, for his agility and speed and his faithful service to Rama. He is one of the popular gods of the Hindu religion and is worshipped all over the world. He was born to a monkey queen, Anjana, as one of the creatures fathered by the gods so as they could be of assistance to Vishnu in his incarnation as Rama, and has the ability to fly because his father was the wind god, Vayu. Hanuman is also known as Mahaveera (the great hero), Pavanputra, Bajarangbali etc. He is popular for his strength, valor, truthfulness, sincerity, selflessness and agility. Hanuman is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. He was a bachelor and is worshipped in all the temples of India.

Lord Rama met Hanuman during his 14 years exile in the forest, with his brother Lakshmana. Rama was searching his wife Sita who had been abducted by Ravana. Hanuman helped Rama and became a great devotee of Rama. Once Hanuman was asked by Rama, How do you consider me? Hanuman said: "Oh Lord, while I identify myself with my body, I am Thy servant. When I consider myself an individual soul, I am Thy part. But when I look upon myself as the spirit, I am one with Thee. This is my firm conviction."

Hanuman, the symbol of devotion and dedication, was the chief of the armies of Lord Rama and took a prominent part in the war against Ravana, the king of Lanka. He helped Rama in his works. Every temple of Lord Rama contains an icon of Hanuman. Worship of Lord Rama is incomplete without the worship of Hanuman. He is also an ideal example of a devotee. He is also depicted in the fee of lord Rama. Hanuman’s immortality is more considered to have been granted to him as a reward for his loyal support of Rama.

Hanuman was born to Anjana, a female vanara, and Kesari, a male vanara, near Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra. It is sometimes related that Vayu ravished Anjana in the forest; but the common account of Hanuman's parentage is more complex. It is said that as part of the ceremony that Dasharatha, performed so that he should be granted sons, he gave to each of his three wives a cake. Kakeyi, who was the youngest of the three, received her cake last; she resented this and turned up her nose it. At this a kite swooped down and the snatched the cake (Kakeyi later repented and became the mother of Bharata). The kite bore the cake into the forest where he found Anjana, an apsara who had been transformed by a curse into a monkey, she was praying for a son, so when the kite dropped the cake Vayu came forward and directed it into Anjana’s hand. Shiva then appeared and told Anjana to eat the cake, by swallowing it she conceived Hanuman. As soon as Hanuman was born he felt hungry and his mother could not satisfy him. Then he caught the sight of the Sun and thinking it is a fruit he leapt after it. The sun took flight, but Hanuman chased him upto Indra’s heaven. Here Indra injured Hanuman’ jaw with his thunderbolt, Hanuman felt back on the earth but his father was quick to avenge him by entering the bodies of all the gods and giving them colic. Indra then apologized to Vayu and agreed that Hanuman should become immortal. The birth of Hanuman released Anjana from the curse.

Hanuman’s physical strength and agility made him an invaluable ally. He could not only fly at the speed of wind but he also had the strength to uproot trees and mountains, and could alter his size at will and make it invisible. ln battle he was a terrifying figure, as vast as a moon-and as tall as a tower, with a law skin gleaming like molten gold; his face was as red as a ruby his tail was of enormous length. He helped Rama in searching Sita. He was informed by Sampati, brother of the vulture Jatayu, that the strait dividing Lanka from the mainland was a hundred leagues across. Hanuman doubted that he could perform such a feat. But an old monkey advised Hanuman that if he would only have confidence, he would be able to accomplish the task. So Hanuman went up to the summit of Mount Mahendra and meditated on his mission. As he sat there his body began so shake and grow until it was itself the size of a mountain. He knew that if he could do this, he would be equal to the task, so, roaring and with flashing eyes, Hanuman coursed through the sky. In mid-air he was intercepted by a female rakshasa called Saurasa, who opened her mouth so wide as to engulf him. He at once shrank to the size of a thumb, but when he was inside her swelled again to his former size, escaping by bursting open and killing her.

When Hanuman reached Lanka he again reduced his size and wandered freely, he eventually found Sita, destroyed Ravana's gardens and killed many demons. He was captured, and in his escape set fire to Lanka. During the battle Hanuman proved himself to be a valiant warrior. But his greatest service was to fly to the Himalayas to bring herbs with which to cure Rama and Lakshmana of their mortal wounds. The rakshasas naturally set obstacles to his flight, and many other difficulties arose, all to be overcome. The first of these was a giant called Kalanemi, to whom Ravana had offered half his kingdom if he would kill the monkey god. Kalanemi therefore flew ahead of Hanuman, and when the latter reached the Himalayas, invited him to dinner. But Hanuman had been warned of his host's identity by an Apsara whom he had released from a curse. So he seized Kalanemi and killed him and thus he completed his work.

Hanuman Aarti completes the worship or prayers made him. It is believed that aarti provides a completion to the puja. Shri Hanuman Chalisa is a prayer of "forty verses". Verses are recited or chanted by groups. The acts and deeds of Lord Hanuman are recalled in these verses to aid the devotee to meditate on virtuous and noble qualities. On Tuesdays, many people fast in honor of Hanuman and give special offerings to him. In times of trouble, it is a common faith among Hindus to chant the name of Hanuman or sing his hymns (Hanuman Chalisa). Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Hanuman.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.

According to mythology, Ganga is considered as the most sacred river of the Hindus, who is very popular worshipped as a goddess in india. Gangajal, the water of Ganga, is considered very sacred. Science has proved that Gangajal is pure and bacteria free, it is used for religious ceremonies. Ganga is the goddess of the river Ganges. As per Hindu thoughts, bathing in the river on special occasions causes remission of sins and facilitates the attainment of salvation. Her power to wash away sins and liberate is so strongly believed that the ashes of the dead are spread over her. Ganga enriches the spiritual lives of millions of people. People immerse the ashes of their kins in Ganga, with a belief that the ashes would go to heaven. The mighty river is about 2,510 km in length and flows through many cities of India and Bangladesh.

Goddess Ganga is usually represented as a beautiful woman, who is shown white in color, wearing white clothes, sitting on the sea animal crocodile, holding in a water lily and lute. The source of origin of River Ganges is Gaumukh - the Gangotri Glacier in the state of Uttarakhand. Gangotri Glacier is acknowledged as one of the holy pilgrimages of India. The ultimate point of origin of Ganga is from the hair of Lord Shiva which makes it even more sacred. At the riverbank everyday Arti is held in praise of the Goddess who washes away everybody's sins. Haridwar, Rishikesh, Allahabad and Banaras are the principal cities where people accumulate in large numbers to witness Ganga Arti. Hindus believe that life is incomplete without bathing in Ganga at least once in their lifetime.

The story of Ganga’s origin is very interesting. Sagar, a king of Ayodhya, had no children. On doing a long penance he got magically sixty thousand sons. King Sagar decided to perform an Ashwamedh Yagya (horse sacrifice). When Indra saw that happen, he became worried by king Sagar's increasing powers. Therefoere, Indra stole the horse and tied it to the tree under which sage Kapila was meditating. When all sixty thousand sons saw the horse near sage Kapila, they thought that the sage stole our horse. Feeling disturbed and insulted, sage Kapila burnt them to ashes with yogic fire. 

When Anshuman, the last remaining son of King Sagar, heard about his other brothers, he asked sage Kapila how to liberate their souls from the ashes. The sage Kapila advised him to please Brahma with penances so that he would release Ganga from his kamandula and bring Ganga to earth to purify the ashes and liberate his brothers. This task was undertaken by many generations. His sons and grandsons also carried out the penance and it was only Bhagirath, who pleased Brahma. Lord Brahma agreed to release Ganga and advised him to worship Shiva, so that he would accept to hold the force of Ganga. 

Lord Shiva caught Ganga in his matted hairs in order to lessen the impact of her fall and released her from his locks in seven streams. The water of Ganga touched the ashes of Sagar sons and thus purified them. This is why Ganga is also known as Bhagirathi. She is thus alos regarded as the second wife of lord Shiva.

According to another version, once lord Vishnu was so captivated by a flute recital of Lord Shiva that his feet began to melt. Lord Brahma collected this liquified portion of Vishnu’s feet and produced the goddess Ganga, so the goddess is alternatively also known as Vishnu-Padi (which means born from Vishnu’s feet). Ganga is believed to exist as Mandakini in heaven, Ganges in the earth and Alakananda in the underworld, showering her blessings on all the three worlds.All paintings are courtesy of Art of Legend India.