The document describes the origins and evolution of deity worship in India from early depictions of nature-based gods to the development of the Hindu pantheon. It provides examples of deities commonly depicted on ancient and historic Indian coins, including Shiva, Vishnu, Indra, Krishna, Hanuman, Lakshmi, and Durga. The document traces the integration of cultural influences over millennia to shape modern Hinduism and the growing diversity of deities represented.

1.  Posted by Mitresh Singh on March 17, 2014 at
8:00am
Jiva sat at the back of the cave petrified and
trembling. His father was away hunting the beasts
they called Dinos while his mother had died when
he was a mere child. Now he was in the cave alone
and it had suddenly become dark very dark outside.
A cold gust of wind was blowing making him shiver.
He had never seen the clouds look so black and
ominous. They seemed to become bigger and
larger each passing minute. Jiva felt as if the spirits
of all the Dinos they had hunted and killed were
collectively growling and rumbling at him.
Periodically a clap of thunder and flash of
lightening would send shivers down his spine. How

2. he hated the dark cave and prayed his father would
come home soon.
On an impulse, Jiva picked up a charcoal piece lying
on the floor and started drawing the caricature he
drew so often on the walls of his cave. But
somehow this time the portrayal was different as
instead of the usual hunt scenes the drawing
reflected a larger than life size man with an angry
frown, blazing red eyes, puffed cheeks, tongue out
hissing and spitting at him and holding those darn
forked thunderbolt of lightning in his hands. Tired
by his efforts, Jiva slept and dreamt the cave
drawing come alive and advance towards him
astride a Dino about to hurl a thunderbolt at him.
Jiva woke up screaming with his heart thudding
madly and sweat trickling down his brow. He
looked around wildly but was reassured to see his
drawing intact on the cave wall. He let out a sigh of
relief glad to be 'Jivit' (alive) promising himself to
behave and be good once his father returns.

3. It was eerily calm and quiet inside the cave but
outside he could hear a cacophony of noise. He got
up and went outside to check and it was a different
world outside. The sun was out, bees were
humming, birds were chirping and rivulets of water
stream were forming puddles and ponds along the
forested path of the Meru mountain where his cave
home was located. The waters of the Saryu river
below the mountain shimmered bright in the
sunlight. Jiva looked up and saw the calm blue sky
with wisps of clouds idyllically floating by like
cotton balls. A kaleidoscope of colour in the shape
of a bow was splashed across the horizon and he
could hear the call of the peacocks resound in the
forest. Jiva could see his father walking back in the
distance. Serene and contented, Jiva walked back to
the cave with a spring in his step and song on his
lips.
He picked up his charcoal piece and started
drawing again. The doodle he drew this time was

4. however different as it reflected a man with bright
sunrays emerging behind his head, smiling and
looking at him with love and benevolence and with
hands drawn out and open to embrace him. Gods
and demons had been born.
Origin of Deity Worship
Nature was the greatest companion and teacher to
Man. Everywhere man looked he could see nature
manifest it in various ways. He saw the sun rise and
set daily as per a fixed pattern and sometimes
become totally blacked out which was a
phenomenon he couldn’t explain. He saw the
seasons change, flowers bloom and wilt and he
wondered how it was done or who did it. He saw
the different creatures and beasts, birds, fishes and
worms around him and was nonplussed who
created and sustained them. The cycle of day and
night appeared mysterious to him. He yearned to
run as fast as a horse, be as big and powerful like

5. the Elephant, have razor like talons like the hawk or
be able to fly like a bird. His wishful flights of fancy
and imagination slowly saw the creation of
supernatural beings drawn from nature around him
including birds, beasts and humans in any
combination thereof fulfilling his quest of answers
for the unknown. Myths and cults grew over the
course of time and were sanctified into custom,
tradition and practice with these supernatural
beings becoming more colourful, powerful and
exotic. The word God was coined to denote these
beings different from the humans with worship
conducted for the protection and well-being of
man. Gods had creative, genitive and destructive
powers. The simple practice of worship gradually
grew more formalized, ritualistic and complicated
over time.
Earliest Deities

6. The earliest deities are drawn from nature viz sun
and moon while the concept of a Mother Goddess
appears uniformly across many cultures. Sun gives
light and energy and makes the crops ripen for
harvest. Moon is cooling and calm, has mystery and
magic and affects the sea tides. Mother gives birth,
nourishes, sustains …...
From this simple beginning, other deities came into
the fold of worship with their association with
various human elements or emotions viz love,
fertility, anger, war, etc., or nature viz thunder, rain,
wind etc or the underworld, a dark and gloomy
place below the earth where the dead were buried
and emerged later as re-born.
Hindu Deities
The Hindu deities symbolize the forces in nature as
well as inside human beings representing various
cosmic powers on one hand and man's virtues and
vices on the other. Since these are manifold,

7. attributes represented by various Gods is evoked to
control and obtain mastery over them in the path
of spiritual development and perfection for unison
with the single ‘Brahman’.
The pantheon of Hindu Gods and Goddesses grew
from a tapestry of multiple cultural influences
integrated over a period of millenniums. Seals from
the pre-Vedic Indus Valley Civilization reveal certain
mythical Gods and beasts. The Aryan Vedic culture
produced its own deities, rituals and hymns that
culminated in the Vedas. Brahmanism gained
prominence during the Age of the Mahajanapadas
and Mahabharata War. Buddhism and Jainism swept
India like wild fire during the time of Ashoka before
Brahmanism again became popular. The common
Hindu identity firmed up during the time of Later
Kushanas and the Imperial Guptas before it
retreated under the Islamic rule and re-surfaced
during the British rule for the fight for
independence. Modern Hinduism as we know it

8. today is still the dominant faith in India having
survived numerous upheavals in the past the
learning’s from which continues to reshape and
evolve the religion today.
Hindu Deities on Coins
Some common deities featured on Indian coins
include:
Shiva – He is the Destroyer of evil and ignorance.
He destroys to create anew.
Vishnu – He preserves and sustains the Universe
and represents cosmic time and space.
Indra – He is the Ruler of Heaven and God of
thunder and rain. He symbolizes strength and
courage.
Krishna – He is the most popular incarnation of
Vishnu symbolizing leadership, philosophy etc.

9. Balaji - He is the incarnation of Vishnu and
symbolizes strength & protection of his devotees.
Hanuman – He is the Monkey God symbolizing
bravery, loyalty and devotion to his master, Rama.
Kartikeya - He is the son of Shiva and God of War
& Victory (over harmful habit and sensual desires).
Lakshmi – She is the female consort of Vishnu most
commonly associated with Wealth & Prosperity.
Parvati – She is the female consort of Shiva most
commonly associated with Fertility and Marriage.
Durga – She is the fierce form of Parvati and
destroyer of evil, demonic forces and desires.
Chamundi – She is the fierce attendant of Durga
and associated with decay, death and destruction.
Sridevi & Bhudevi - They are consorts of Balaji
representing Wealth and Mother Earth respectively.
Brihadh Ambaal - She is the presiding Goddess of
Pudukottai and titular deity of the Thondaimans.

10. Gallery
The coins below show the iconographic
representation of Hindu Deities from the time
period 300 BC to now.
Maurya Empire, 300 BC, Silver Karshapana, 3
Female Deities (unknown)

11. Ujjain, 200 BC, Copper, 4.77g, Ujjaini symbol / Standing Shiva with Spear
as 'Mahakaal'

12. Kunindas, 200-100 BC, Amogabhuti, Silver Drachm, 2.1g, 19mm, Deer &
Lakshmi

13. Panchalas of Ahichhatra, 75-50 BC, Indramitra, 5.92g, 17mm, Indra
holding 'Vajra' (Thunderbolt)

14. Yaudheya Republic, 200 BC - 100 AD, Copper, Standing Kartikeya with
Spear & Peacock

15. Kushan Empire, Huvishka, Gold Dinar, 21 mm, 7.80g, Shiva as 'Rudra' &
'Pasupatinath'

16. Kushan, Vasishka I, Dinar, Gold, 7.85g, 21mm, Shiva with Nandi-Bull

17. Kushan, Vasudeva II, Gold Dinar, 7.83g, Lakshmi seated on Throne

18. Guptas, Chandragupta II, Gold Dinar, Chattra (Parasol) / Standing Lakshmi

19. Guptas, Kumara Gupta I, Gold Dinar, 8.12g, Archer / Lakshmi seated on
Lotus

20. Kadambas of Hangal, Gold Pagoda, 4.24g, Seated Hanuman

21. Kingdom of Gauda (Bengal), Sasankadeva, 600-630 AD, Base Gold Dinar,
Shiva riding Nandi-Bull / Lakshmi

22. Nayakas of Chitradurga, Durgi Pagoda, Gold, 3.26g, Chamundi or Durga

23. Rajas of Sivaganga, Copper Double Kasu, 12mm, 3.3gm, Shiva / Lingam

24. Ghurid, Mohd bin Sam (Mohd Ghori), Gold, 4.26g, Lakshmi

25. Vijayanagar Empire, Hari Hara II, 1377-1404 AD, Gold ½ Pagoda, 1.72g,
Uma-Maheshwari (Parvati-Shiva)

26. Vijayanagar Empire, Krishnadevaraya, Gold ½ Varaha, 1.69g, Seated Bala-
Krishna

27. East India Company, Madras Presidency, Gold, Star Pagoda, 3.26g,
Standing Tirupati-Balaji

28. East India Company, Madras Presidency, Gold, 3 Swamy pagoda, 3.4g,
Balaji with Sridevi & Bhudevi

29. Mysore, British Protectorate, Silver two-third Pavali, 1.8g, Dancing
Chamundi

30. Pudukkottai, Amman Kasu, Copper, 1.3g, Goddess Brihadh Ambaal

31. Views: 587
Tags: Deities, Deity, Hindu, India, Indian
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