Varaha (वराह)

Varaha (वराह) is the boar form of Vishnu who raises the Earth goddess from the cosmic waters in Puranic narratives. Devotional and narrative traditions especially associate this figure with rescue, restoration of the Earth, cosmic order and protection. Common iconography may include boar head, human body, Bhudevi and discus/conch. Important related names include Yajna Varaha. The exact stories, ritual customs and visual details can differ by text, region and lineage, so descriptions should distinguish widely shared tradition from local interpretation. For a Madhuma reference page, the strongest people-first angle is to explain who Varaha is, the major stories and symbols, how worship differs across India, important festivals or pilgrimage contexts, and respectful modern practice without presenting devotional belief as historical fact.