India: Somaskanda (Shiva and his consort Uma), south India, Chola Dynasty, 12th century. Photo by Quadell (CC BY-SA License). Shiva (Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, meaning 'auspicious one' ) is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God. In the Smarta tradition, he is regarded as one of the five primary forms of God. Followers of Hinduism who focus their worship upon Shiva are called Shaivites or Shaivas (Sanskrit Śaiva).

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Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
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