ORIGIN: Hindu
TYPE: Weather god
KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP: Circa 1500 BCE and possibly earlier until present day.
ART REFERENCES: Sculptures in metal and stone; reliefs
LITERARY SOURCES: Rg Veda and other texts.
INFORMATION: One of the most important of the Vedic deities. It is uncertain if he originated as a weather god or as a solar deity. The Rg Veda identifies him with the bull and he is considered to be related to the Hittite weather god Tesub. He is thus also god of fertility and war. In the later Vedas he is described as the son of Dyaus Pitar and Prthivi. His consort is Indrani and his sons are Jayanta, Midhusa, Nilambara, Rbhus, and Rsabha.
In later Hinduism he is a dikpala (guardian) of the Eastern direction.
In Buddhism Indra is a dikpalawith the color yellow but of lesser importance than the Hindu god.
In Jainism indra is head of various heavens but, again, of lesser importance.