Tantra are the esoteric traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism that developed in India from the middle of the 1st millennium CE onwards. The term tantra, in the Indian traditions, also means any systematic broadly applicable "text, theory, system, method, instrument, technique or practice". A key feature of these traditions is the use of mantras, and thus they are commonly referred to as Mantramārga in Hinduism or Mantrayāna and Guhyamantra in Buddhism.
Dhumavati is one of the Mahavidyas, a group of ten Hindu Tantric goddesses. Dhumavati represents the fearsome aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother. She is often portrayed as an old, ugly widow, and is associated with things considered inauspicious and unattractive in Hinduism, such as the crow and the Chaturmas period. The goddess is often depicted carrying a winnowing basket on a horseless chariot or riding a crow, usually in a cremation ground.
Matangi is a Hindu goddess. She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and an aspect of the Hindu Divine Mother. She is considered to be the Tantric form of Saraswati, the goddess of music and learning. Matangi governs speech, music, knowledge and the arts. Her worship is prescribed to acquire supernatural powers, especially gaining control over enemies, attracting people to oneself, acquiring mastery over the arts and gaining supreme knowledge.
Chhinnamasta, often spelled Chinnamasta, and also called Ch(h)innamastika and Prachanda Chandika and Jogani Maa, is a Hindu goddess (Devi). She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten goddesses from the esoteric tradition of Tantra, and a ferocious aspect of Parvati, the Hindu Mother goddess. The self-decapitated nude goddess, usually standing or seated on a divine copulating couple, holds her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants.
Tantras refers to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The religious culture of the Tantras is essentially Hindu, and Buddhist Tantric material can be shown to have been derived from Hindu sources. And although Hindu and Buddhist Tantra have many similarities from the outside, they do have some clear distinctions. The rest of this article deals with Hindu Tantra. Buddhist Tantras are described in the article on Buddhist Tantras.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa;, born Ramakrishna Chattopadhyaya, was an Indian Hindu mystic and religious leader who lived in 19th-century Bengal. Ramakrishna approached his religious life through the path of devotion to the Goddess Kali, and by observance of various elements from Tantra, Vaishnav Bhakti, and Advaita Vedanta, as well as experiences with Christianity and Islam. After earnest practice of various religious traditions, he held that the world's religions represented "so many paths to reach one and the same goal". His followers came to regard him as an avatara, or divine incarnation, as did some of the prominent Hindu scholars of his day.
In Hinduism, the goddess Tara is the second of the Dasa (ten) Mahavidyas or "Great Wisdom goddesses", and is a form of Adishakti, the tantric manifestation of Parvati. Her most famous centre of worship is the temple and the cremation ground of Tarapith in West Bengal, India. Her three most famous forms are Ekajaṭā, Ugratara, and Nīlasarasvatī.
Shaktism is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti (Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all considered aspects of the same supreme goddess. Shaktism has different sub-traditions, ranging from those focused on most worshipped Durga, gracious Parvati to that of fierce Kali.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu navaratna temple located at Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, a form of Parashakti Adya Kali, otherwise known as Adishakti Kalika. The temple was built in 1855 by Rani Rashmoni, a Zamindar, philanthropist and a devotee of Kali. The temple is known for its association with Ramakrishna and Ma Sarada Devi, mystics of 19th Century Bengal.
The Kamakhya Temple at Nilacal hills in Guwahati, Assam is one of the oldest and most revered centres of Tantric practices. The temple is the center of the Kulachara Tantra Marga and the site of the Ambubachi Mela, an annual festival that celebrates the menstruation of the goddess. Structurally, the temple is dated to the 8th-9th century with many subsequent rebuildings—and the final hybrid architecture defines a local style called Nilachal. It is also one of the oldest of the 51 pithas in the Shakta tradition. An obscure place of worship for much of history it became an important pilgrimage destination, especially for those from Bengal, in the 19th century during colonial rule.
In Dharmic culture, the tilaka is a mark worn usually on the forehead, at the point of the Ajna chakra, or sometimes another part of the body such as the neck, hand, chest or arm. Tilaka may be worn daily or for rites of passage or special spiritual and religious occasions only, depending on regional customs.
Kamakhya, a form of Parvati, is an important Shakta Tantric mother goddess of desire that evolved in Kamarupa in Assam. Originally a Kirata goddess Kamakhya remained outside Brahmanical influence till at least the 7th century. She resides at Nilachal hills west of Guwahati in the 10th/11th century Kamakhya Temple rebuilt in 1565 CE and worshiped in non-iconic and un-anthropomorphic form of a stone shaped like a yoni and fed by a perennial stream. The temple is primary amongst the 51 Shakti Peethas related to the sect that follows Sati, and remains one of the most important Shakta temples.Kamakhya temple is most powerful and oldest shaktipeeth in all 51 shaktipeeth.
The Saundarya Lahari meaning "The waves of Beauty" is a famous literary work in Sanskrit attributed to Adi Shankara. Some believe the first part "Ananda Lahari" was etched on mount Meru by Ganesha himself. Sage Gaudapada, the teacher of Shankar's teacher Govinda Bhagavadpada, memorised the writings of Pushpadanta which was carried down to Adi Shankara. Its hundred and three shlokas (verses) praise the beauty, grace and munificence of Goddess Tripura Sundari as Goddess Parvati. W. Norman Brown translated it to English which was published as volume 43 of the Harvard Oriental Series in 1958.
Sivagiri is an area in Varkala municipality of Trivandrum District in Kerala. It is a pilgrimage centre of Varkala Town where the tomb or samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru is situated. It is a place where Guru built the Sarada Temple dedicated to Sarada Devi. The tomb is an attraction for thousands of devotees every year, especially during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days from 30 December to 1 January.
Shri Vidya is a Hindu Tantric religious system devoted to the Goddess as Lalitā Tripurasundarī, Bhuvaneshvari, Maha Lakshmi, etc. A thousand names for this form of Devī are recited in the Lalitā Sahasranāma, which includes Śrī Vidyā concepts. The sect accepts and aims to provide both material prosperity and self-realisation. It has an extensive literature. Details of belief vary in different texts but the general principles are similar to those found in Kashmir Shaivism. Although Shri Vidya is completely against Adi Shankara's Advaita philosophy, in some parts of India, it is believed to be originated from him.
Kali, also known as Kalika, is a Hindu goddess who is considered to be the mistress of death, time, and change. According to Shaktism, she is a form of Parvati, the supreme of all powers, or the ultimate reality. Kali's earliest appearance is when she emerged from Shiva. She is the ultimate manifestation of Shakti and the mother of all living beings. The goddess destroys evil in order to protect the innocent. Over time, Kali has been worshipped by devotional movements and Tantric sects variously as the Divine Mother, Mother of the Universe, Adi Shakti, or Parvati. Shakta Hindu and Tantric sects additionally worship her as the ultimate reality or Brahman. She is also seen as the divine protector and the one who bestows moksha or liberation.
Kali Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival, originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, celebrated on the new moon day of the Hindu month Kartik especially in the regions of West Bengal, and in Mithila region of Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, neighbouring country Bangladesh, and the town of Titwala in Maharashtra. Kali Puja is extremely popular in Barasat, Nabadwip, Santipur, Tamluk, Naihati, Barrackpore, Dakshineshwar and Tarapith in West Bengal. Begusarai, Darbhanga, Munger and Bhagalpur in Bihar. Guwahati in Assam, Udaipur in Tripura, Ganjam in Odisha, Dhaka and Chittagong in neighbouring country of Bangladesh. It coincides with the Lakshmi Puja day of Diwali. While the Hindu Bengalis, Odias, Assamese and Maithils worship the goddess Kali on this day, the rest of India and Nepal worships goddess Lakshmi on Diwali.
Worship in Hinduism is an act of religious devotion usually directed to one or more Hindu deities. A sense of Bhakti or devotional love is generally invoked. This term is probably a central one in Hinduism, but a direct translation from the Sanskrit to English is difficult. Worship takes a multitude of forms depending on geography and language. Worship is not confined to any place of worship, and it will often incorporate personal reflection, music, dance and poetry. Hindus usually perform worship in temples or at home to achieve some specific end or to integrate the body, mind and spirit. The aim is to live a pure life in order to help the performer reincarnate into a higher being.
Jyestha or Jyeshtha is the Hindu goddess of adversity and misfortune. She is regarded as the elder sister and antithesis of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and auspiciousness. She is commonly referred to as Moodevi in South India.
Mahadevi, also referred to as Devi, Shakti, Adi Parashakti,Parama Prakriti, Adi Shakti, and Abhaya Shakti, is the primordial Goddess or "divine mother" - The energy that is referred to as all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge, all renunciation, and is the creator of the universe according to Hinduism. Shaivas consider her as Parvati, Durga and Mahakali Vaishnavas consider her as Lakshmi, while Shaktas consider her to be Durga, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneswari, and Kali. Author Helen T Boursier says, "In Hindu philosophy both Lakshmi and Parvati are identified with the great goddess — Mahadevi — and the Shakti or divine power".
