Shaivism

Shaivism centres worship on Shiva. Shaivas practise temple worship and devotion, while many traditions also place strong emphasis on yoga, meditation and self-discipline. Some follow an ascetic path, giving up worldly comforts to pursue spiritual liberation.

In Shaivism, Shiva is worshipped as supreme, with other deities understood as expressions of the Supreme God. Shiva is often worshipped through a linga, a symbolic form that can express a divine reality not confined to a human-shaped body.