Hindu iconography
Over the millennia of its development, Hinduism has adopted several iconic symbols, forming part of Hindu iconography, that are imbued with spiritual meaning based on either the scriptures or cultural traditions. The exact significance accorded to any of the icons varies with region, period and denomination of the followers. Over time some of the symbols, for instance the Swastika has come to have wider association while others like Om are recognized as unique representations of Hinduism. Other aspects of Hindu iconography are covered by the terms murti, for icons and mudra for gestures and positions of the hands and body.
Hindu sacraments
Hindu sacraments are physical pieces of that help objects or markings that are considered sacred and used as a sign of devotion by the followers of Hinduism. These are often objects associated with a puja or religious ceremony.Murti
s are sacred works of art, primarily in the form of statues and paintings, which serve as representations of divinity, for use during religious devotion. Murtis are a huge part of contemporary mainstream Hindu culture and often hold significant sentimental value in many Hindu homes. Many believe that murtis are vessels that capture the essence of gods, which helps the devotees focus and concentrate during prayers. Although there are many Hindu gods, the most common murtis are depictions of Ganesha, Hanuman, Shiva, and Lakshmi. Each deity appeals to certain aspects of human life, for example Lakshmi is the goddess of fortune and the embodiment of love, while Hanuman is worshiped for strength and loyalty. File:জি. ডি. ব্লক সল্টলেক দুর্গা পুজো ২০১৮.jpg|thumb|right|Goddess Durga and a pantheon of other gods and goddesses being worshipped during Durga Puja Festival in Kolkata. This image was taken in Block - G.D, Saltlake Durga Puja 2018 in North Kolkata.Tilaka
The tilaka is a mark worn on the forehead or other parts of the body as a sign of spiritual devotion. Hindus may wear a tilaka regularly or especially on religious occasions. The shape of the tilaka is often an indicator of devotion to a certain deity. For example, the U-shaped urdhva pundra usually denotes devotion to Vishnu, while Shiva devotees often wear it in the form of three horizontal lines. It may be made of saffron, vermilion, turmeric, clay, or simply ash.To denote marriage and auspiciousness, married Hindu women commonly wear a decorative vermilion dot or bindu, or bindī on the forehead. This is analogous to a wedding ring worn in western countries. In southern India, the mark is called pottu. The exact shape, size and location of the bindi or pottu shows regional variation; for instance, in some parts of India the bindi is often worn just below the hairline, while in southern India it is more common to wear it between the eyebrows. In east India, especially in West Bengal, traditionally larger bindis are worn as mark of devotion towards goddess Durga.
Vibhuti
is the holy ash obtained from sacred puja rites involving fire. Ash is considered a sign of purity due to its powdery white color. It is used on the forehead, normally as three horizontal lines representing Shiva. Some Hindus meld both the three horizontal vibhuti lines of Shiva and the U-shaped urdhva pundra of Vishnu in an amalgam marker signifying Hari-Hara. In addition, sacred ash signifies that the body's origin is from dust and ash, acting a marker of impermanence and a reminder of the illusory nature of existence.Rudraksha
are seeds of the rudraksha tree that represent the tears of Shiva. They are often threaded into a necklace and used as a rosary to accompany prayer and meditation.Universal symbols
Among the most revered symbols in Hinduism, three are a quintessential part of its culture, and are most representative of its general ethos:Om
Om is the sacred sound symbol that represents the universe; the ultimate reality. It is prefixed and sometimes suffixed to all Vedic mantras and prayers. Aum is often said to represent God in the three aspects of Brahman, Vishnu and Shiva. As the divine primordial vibration, it represents the one ultimate reality underlying and encompassing all of nature and all of existence. The written syllable ॐ called omkara serves as a deeply significant and distinctly recognizable symbol for Hinduism. The pronunciation of Aum moves through all possible human linguistic vowel sounds and is different from the pronunciation of Om. Both are often symbolically equated, although they are sonically distinct.Swastika
Swastika is a symbol connoting general auspiciousness, or a sign of prosperity or favor. This is so most naturally with astronomy as Ursa Major circumscribes Polaris in each 360 degrees. As an esoterica, the implication of the symbol is that of eternity; that is, "it is this way, it has always been this way, and it will always be this way." Just as Solaris' and Luna's circuits imply an eternally infinite system, so too, does the entire zodiac.It may represent purity of soul, truth, and stability or, alternatively, Surya, the sun. Its rotation in four directions has been used to represent many ideas, but primarily describes the four directions, the four Vedas and their harmonious whole. Its use in Hinduism dates back to ancient times, however the earliest records of swastikas were imprinted on pottery from central Mesopotamia and at Susa in western Iran in 4000 B.C.
Sri Chakra Yantra
The Sri Chakra Yantra of Tripura Sundari is a mandala formed by nine interlocking triangles. Four of these triangles are oriented upright, representing Shiva or the masculine principle. Five of these triangles are inverted triangles representing Shakti, the feminine principle. Together, the nine triangles form a web symbolic of the entire cosmos, a womb symbolic of creation, and together express Advaita Vedanta or non-duality. All other yantras are said to be derivatives of this supreme yantra.Symbols associated with individual deities
Several symbols in Hindu iconography are associated with particular devas, and vice versa. In certain cases the deities themselves are personifications of natural forces, for instance Agni, Vayu, Surya and Prithvi. In other instances, the associations arise from specific incidents or characteristics related in Hindu theology. The iconography serve to identify the particular deity in their pictorial or sculptural representations. The symbolism also often links the deities with a particular natural or human attribute, or profession.It is important to understand the symbolism, in order to appreciate the allegorical references in not only Hindu scriptures, but also in both ancient and modern secular works of authors from the Indian subcontinent. The art and science of designing temples includes the study of sculpture and the ornamentation of religious significance as described in sacred texts. In Ancient India twelve years of theoretical and practical training used to be given to the student by an able experienced teacher.
Shiva Lingam
The Shiva Lingam represents the deity Shiva, and is used as an icon of strength and fertility due to its sexual symbolism. Shivalinga is the most important and a popular symbolic representation of Shiva in Hinduism. It represents Shiva in his aspects of the creator, protector, and the destroyer in Shaiva traditionsMeaning
The word ‘Shivalinga’ is a combination of the words ‘Shiva’ and linga. Thus ‘Shivalinga’ is a representation of Shiva in His all-auspicious aspect. Linga has been translated as phallus, which refers to his aspect of the masculine principle. ‘Linga’ also means the place of dissolution of the disintegrated universe.Types
Based on the mobility of the object of worship, Shivalingas are broadly divided into two categories – ‘Cala’ and ‘Acala’Cala Shivalinga
These are made of stone, crystal, metals, clay, rice, dough, etc. These can be moved from one place to another.Acala Shivalingas
The sacred texts describe many types of the lingas based on variations in the proportionShivalingas are installed in temples and are fixed to ground or a base. They are usually made of stones or metals. The sacred texts suggest that the shiva linga must have three parts. A bottom most 1/3rd part that is in the earth - Brahma bhagam it is rectangular in cross section.
A middle 1/3rd part is called Vishnu bhagam or Vishnu Bhaga. A visible 1/3rd Shiva Pooja bhagam or Pooja bhaga which is top most part which is worshiped. It is circular in cross section and cylindrical in shape. It represents Rudra, the destroyer of the world. It is known as Pooja bhagam because this part is worshipped. Brahmasutras: These are certain essential lines present on the Rudra bhagam. Without them a Shivlinga is unfit to be worshipped. The Shiva linga is at the level of ground and easily accessible to the worshipers irrespective of their caste, social or economic status.