Stories 3

All kinds Origin Legend Local story Folk tale From the epics Festival story Temple legend In stone and bronze How a tradition frames it

Everywhere Pan-India 240 South India 81 West India 37 East India 37 North India 28 The Himalaya 17 Northeast India 8 Southeast Asia 6 Central India 5 Sri Lanka 1

curse sacrifice devotion pride boon creation disguise marriage test birth supremacy bargain death fire healing penance rescue pilgrimage river craft festival dance gift rivalry earth emanation friendship night desire fear

Tradition: Shaiva · clear

Festival story · 2 tellings

Nanda goes to Kailash as a bride

Every twelve years Garhwal and Kumaon walk the mountain goddess Nanda three weeks from her mother's home to Shiva's Kailash as a young bride.

Nanda Devi, Shiva

The Himalaya Pan-India

Festival story · 2 tellings

Shiva the begging farmer of the Gajan

At Bengal's Chaitra Gajan devotees become Shiva and his ganas, act out his marriage and beg from house to house; the god is a poor householder scolded by his wife.

Shiva, Parvati, Shiber Gajan

East India Pan-India

Festival story · 6 tellings · contested

Why the night of Shiva is kept

A hunter named Gurudruha, or Lubdhaka, is caught in the forest by night and climbs a bilva tree to wait for game.

Shiva, Parvati, Maha Shivaratri, Shiva linga

The Himalaya Pan-India