Indra Dev

The History And Legends Of The Thousand Eyed Indra Dev

According to the legends, Indra Dev is the lord of the heaven and is considered to be the leader of all the Devas and the guardian of the east. Being the god of rain and thunderstorms, he wields a vajra and rides on the white elephant named Airavata. Lord Indra is the son of goddess Savasi and Dyaus and is the most significant deity who was worshipped with a lot of devotion by the famous Rigvedic tribes. It is said that he resides in heaven on the sacred Mount Meru and is also considered to be the God of war.

Worshipping The Deity

Farmers throughout the country worship lord Indra every year for better rainfall so that they can get a good harvest. Unlike any other Vedic god, there are plenty of hymns that are meant for the priests who are conducting Indra puja. It is believed that Indra Dev is the protector of the priests, cows, as well as gods.

The Belief Of The Worshippers

The legends say that lord Indra freed the cattle from the dasas, brought rain to people who worshipped him, and was a great warrior who conquered the asuras. Lord Indra defeated the dragon Vritra who was a demon of the drought and also the leader of the dasas. Vritra was hoarding all rain water, stealing the cows and hiding the sun.

The Benefits Of The Rituals

During the puja, the priests offered him soma in the sacrifice which helped him to defeat the dragon Vritra. This is the reason that many people in the different regions of this country worship Lord Indra and implore him to arrive next year for a good harvest. It is also believed by many worshippers of Lord Indra that if anyone does penance by fasting for 41 days then the Lord will appear in front of that person.

Festivals For The Lord

There are many festivals that are dedicated to Lord Indra but the most significant one is the harvest festival that is known as Pongal. It goes on for three days and is a way of thanking the lord and all the rituals are performed in the honour of Lord Indra.

Things To Do

Even though there are other deities who are worshipped the first day of this festival is entirely dedicated to the Lord. It is known as the Bhogi Pongal which occurs as per the solar calendar during the period of Makar Rasi. A bonfire is made of all the useless articles and all worshippers dance around it to pay obeisance and thank Lord Indra.

The Several Regions

Not only the state of Tamil Nadu but many other regions in the southern India follow such rituals and festivals that are dedicated to the Lord. There is also mention of the Lord in Buddhism as well as Jain mythologies.