Shiva

Shiva (शिव) is a major Hindu deity and the central divine figure of Shaiva traditions. Devotional and narrative traditions especially associate this figure with transformation, asceticism, meditation, cosmic dissolution and renewal. Common iconography may include trident, damaru, crescent moon, matted hair, Ganga and Nandi. Important related names include Mahadeva, Shankar, Bholenath, Rudra. 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 Shiva 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.