Desi God Iconography
Apsara, in Indian religion and mythology, one of the celestial singers and dancers who, together with the gandharvas, or celestial musicians, inhabit the heaven of the god Indra, the lord of the heavens. They have been beautifully depicted in sculpture and painting in India and throughout areas of South and Southeast Asia influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism.
Ganesha is a very popular god in Hinduism, and was one of the most worshiped. Hindu tradition states that Ganesha is a god of wisdom, success and good luck. The Hindu tradition calls Ganesha as the Vighneshvara. "Vighneshvara" in Sanskrit language means one who was the lord of obstacles or difficulties. Thus, the Hindu tradition states that by worshiping Ganesha, one can remove all obstacles and difficulties.
Surya is a Sanskrit word that means the Sun. The oldest surviving Vedic hymns, Rigveda mentions Sūrya with particular reverence for the "rising sun” and its symbolism as dispeller of darkness, one who empowers knowledge, the good and all life. In medieval Hinduism, Surya is also an epithet for the major Hindu gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu.
Sai Baba of Shirdi, also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian spiritual master who is regarded by his devotees as a saint and a fakir. He is revered by both his Hindu and Muslim devotees during, as well as after his lifetime.
Guru Nanak also referred to as Baba Nanak ('father Nanak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Katak Pooranmashi ('full-moon of the Katak'). As the first guru of Sikhism, he contributed a total of 974 hymns to the holy book Guru Granth Sahib.
Hanuman is a Hindu god and divine monkey (vanara) companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic Ramayana. He is a Brahmachari (life long celibate) and one
of the chiranjeevi. He is also mentioned in several other texts, such as the epic Mahabharata
and the various Puranas.
Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was beheaded for refusing to convert to Islam, Guru Gobind Singh was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs at age nine, becoming the tenth Sikh Guru. His four sons died during his lifetime – two in battle, two executed by the Mughal army.
