Land of the Gods: Nepalese Hindu Deities in Pictures

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Nepalese Hindu Deities

If ever a visitor in Nepal, one should be mindful that if you appear to be the first customer on entering a shop early morning, your subsequent actions have consequences for the rest of the store owner’s day.

If you buy, then many other customers will come and purchase too. But if you simply browse and leave without picking up anything, it will be a slow day of business ahead.

Other oddities about the Nepalese culture from an Australian perspective is that after handing over the cash to pay for your purchase, the shop owner might tap the money against their forehead over and over again, whilst reciting a little prayer, before even bothering to see to your change.

In our country, people refer to this as superstition. But in the majority Hindu nation of Nepal, wedged between India and China, it’s just the spiritual nature of being.

Indeed, unlike Western nations which have seen a steady move away from religion and spirituality, religion pervades every aspect of life in Nepal, from shopping to eating to clothes worn and to the decorating of houses.

And representations of deities are ever-present in the Kathmandu streets. It’s common to find a temple in most major thoroughfares. It’s rare to find a road without a small shrine honouring one of the millions of Hindu deities, and it’s impossible to walk without seeing at least one image.

Sydney Criminal Lawyers was on the ground in the Land of the Gods to capture some of this divine presence.

Durbar Square’s statue of Bhairava: a wrathful form of Shiva, representing annihilation
Durbar Square’s statue of Bhairava: a wrathful form of Shiva, representing annihilation
Sadhus are religious ascetics who give up worldly life to walk the earth. The markings on these sadhus’ foreheads indicate they’re Vaishnavites: devotees of Vishnu, lord of preservation.
Sadhus are religious ascetics who give up worldly life to walk the earth. The markings on these sadhus’ foreheads indicate they’re Vaishnavites: devotees of Vishnu, lord of preservation.
Ganesh is one of the most popular Hindu deities. He has an elephant’s head as Shiva chopped off his original one in a jealous rage. But realising he’d done this to the son of his consort Parvati, Shiva then replaced Ganesh’s head with that of the first being that came along
Ganesh is one of the most popular Hindu deities. He has an elephant’s head as Shiva chopped off his original one in a jealous rage. But realising he’d done this to the son of his consort Parvati, Shiva then replaced Ganesh’s head with that of the first being that came along
A wrathful deity: hardly the Reverend Fred Nile’s cup of tea
A wrathful deity: hardly the Reverend Fred Nile’s cup of tea
A Kali temple at Pashupatinath, the cremation grounds. Kali is the wrathful form of the goddess Parvati. Animal sacrifices are still performed here to appease her
A Kali temple at Pashupatinath, the cremation grounds. Kali is the wrathful form of the goddess Parvati. Animal sacrifices are still performed here to appease her
Garuda is a half-human/half-bird demigod. He’s the vehicle Vishnu rides upon. All major Hindu deities have a vehicle
Garuda is a half-human/half-bird demigod. He’s the vehicle Vishnu rides upon. All major Hindu deities have a vehicle
A huge statue of Nandi the bull, Shiva’s vehicle. Vishnu and Shiva are the two main figures of worship in Hinduism, although there’s a third prominent god: Brahma, the creator
A huge statue of Nandi the bull, Shiva’s vehicle. Vishnu and Shiva are the two main figures of worship in Hinduism, although there’s a third prominent god: Brahma, the creator
Hindu deities depicted in puppet form
Hindu deities depicted in puppet form
A painting of an aghori. Followers of Shiva, the aghori are an unorthodox sect of sadhus that practice tantra. They hang around the burning grounds, are known to smear their bodies in the ash and use human bones to craft objects like bowls.
A painting of an aghori. Followers of Shiva, the aghori are an unorthodox sect of sadhus that practice tantra. They hang around the burning grounds, are known to smear their bodies in the ash and use human bones to craft objects like bowls.
A small shrine to Hanuman, the monkey god, on the side of a road
A small shrine to Hanuman, the monkey god, on the side of a road
Shiva, the lord of destruction
Shiva, the lord of destruction

Paul Gregoire

Paul Gregoire is a Sydney-based journalist and writer. He's the winner of the 2021 NSW Council for Civil Liberties Award For Excellence In Civil Liberties Journalism. Prior to Sydney Criminal Lawyers®, Paul wrote for VICE and was the news editor at Sydney’s City Hub.

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