Who Is the Hindu God of Thunder?

In your study of Hinduism, you might start to wonder who is the Hindu god of thunder. Although there are some monotheistic denominations of Hinduism, others  believe that there are multiple gods and goddesses, each with their own domain to rule over.

The Hindu god of thunder is named Indra. Many of the gods and goddesses in Hinduism have multiple capacities for which they are responsible. Therefore, Indra also rules over storms and war. He has been described as heroic and courageous; however, he is also known for being a bit mischievous. Presenting him in such a way makes him an interesting blend of human and god. Perhaps characterizing these figures in such a way makes them easier to relate to by humans, while still placing them up on a pedestal as figures to be worshipped.

About Indra

History

When we talk about gods and goddesses, one of the most important questions that we have is where they came from. In ancient times, many of these various deities resembled each other in one way or another. For example, before Indra came into the culture as the Hindu god of thunder, the Greek gods Triptolemos and Dionysus were quite similar to Indra in their abilities to rule strongly and to have a profound effect on certain weather scenarios. Therefore, there is speculation that Hinduism created a god similar to these Greek figures.

However, another tale that goes back to 1000 B.C. places Indra as the son of Dyeus Pita. Legend has it that Indra may have murdered Dyeus Pita, thereby taking all of his powers and his role in the society. When we talk about the history of gods and goddesses, we must remember that there is both the story as recounted by strict adherents to the religion and that there are the stories about how these characters were drawn up.

Rise and Fall of Indra

Since he overthrew his father, like other strong and capable gods and goddesses of the past, Indra had earned quite a bit of renown and respect for himself. Of course, he was the god of thunder; however, he was also the god of rain.

Think about the type of society that existed. Life was practically based around farming; therefore, Indra's role in the society was one of utmost important. If people were experiencing a drought, they would ask for Indra to step in and help them out.

Indra has also been connected with at least part of the Hindu concept of the afterlife. They believed that Indra lived up near the clouds, and that when warriors passed on, they would go to spend an eternity rejoicing and having a merry time.

Different stories exist as to what exactly happened to Indra. However, some theories are as follows:

• People moved toward the idea of a monotheistic God. Therefore, a forceful and supreme god like Indra was not needed.
• Indra required animal sacrifice, which individuals started to dislike participating in.
• Indra got himself into too much trouble, and people stopped respecting him.

Whatever the case may be, Indra was still an important component of the Hindu peoples' experience thousands of years ago. Certainly, individuals who are devout Hindus or who are interested in the study of Hinduism still research the life and times of Indra to this very day.