Legends from India

By Claudia Behlert

The mythical legends from India are brimming with vivid imagination. They are narrative superlatives par excellence. Many stories, from today’s perspective, are sometimes exuberant, almost grotesque. This short blog makes no claim to be a comprehensive investigation of these legends, let alone a scientific study. Rather, it is the result of my personal insights and is intended to demonstrate that experience-oriented travel is also educational. And, incidentally, above all, it is stimulating and fun.

Indian Gods and Their Legends

In the polytheistic Hindu religion, gods take on a variety of forms. They appear as rivers, animals, or humans. Even the most malevolent demons are represented in the legends. Some gods have multiple heads or limbs, such as the black goddess Kali, who is usually depicted riding a tiger. She initially represents death and destruction. But she also embodies the aspect of renewal. The entire Hindu faith is essentially based on the constant alternation of destruction and reconstruction.

A son’s head is cut off by a furiously jealous father. When the father realizes his mistake, he simply replaces it with the head of an elephant. The universally beloved Ganesha, the bringer of good luck and wealth, is born.

Another beautiful legend is that of the fish-eyed goddess Meenakshi. She represents an incarnation of Parvati and was born with three breasts. The third breast disappeared, as predicted, when she met her future husband. The goddess was not born via the female uterus. Thus, there is also something remotely like an immaculate conception in Hinduism.

A deadly poisonous potion fails to take effect because Lord Shiva manages to hold the tincture in his throat overnight without swallowing. This night is now celebrated as a festival in almost all parts of India. The goddess Ganga, in turn, plunged to earth, threatening to destroy it with the force of the impact. Only Shiva’s hair prevented the disaster by allowing the water to flow through his locks.

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