Khandoba

Khandoba is a regional form of Shiva primarily worshipped in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa. He is revered as a warrior deity who embodies both Shaiva traditions and folk elements. According to the Skanda Purana, Khandoba is an incarnation of Shiva who descended to earth to vanquish the demons Malla and Mani, who were terrorizing the world. The demons were ultimately slain by Khandoba, who then married Mhalsa, a form of Parvati, and also took a second consort, Banai, a folk goddess. The principal myth is narrated in the Mallari Mahatmya, a text associated with the Skanda Purana, which describes the battle and the establishment of Khandoba's worship at Jejuri in Maharashtra.

Iconographically, Khandoba is depicted as a warrior riding a horse, often with six arms holding a sword, shield, trishula, and other weapons. His complexion is often smeared with turmeric (bhandara), symbolizing his association with fertility and protection. He is accompanied by a dog, which is considered his vahana or companion. The sword and horse signify his martial aspect, while turmeric powder is used in rituals and offered by devotees. Regional traditions include the Khandoba Jatra and Bhandara festival, where devotees smear themselves with turmeric and offer prayers.

In the Devi Mahatmya, Shiva is praised as the destroyer of demons, and Khandoba is seen as a localized manifestation of that power. His worship integrates Vedic and folk practices, with devotees often seeking his blessings for protection, fertility, and prosperity. The temple at Jejuri is a major pilgrimage site, where the deity is worshipped in the form of a linga smeared with turmeric. Khandoba's role in Hindu cosmology is that of a guardian deity who protects dharma and his devotees from evil forces. He is also associated with the Bhairava aspect of Shiva, as indicated by his name Martanda Bhairava.

The Puranas and regional folklore together establish Khandoba as a significant deity in the religious landscape of western India.

Warrior on horse. Six arms holding sword, shield, trishula, and other weapons. Often depicted with turmeric-colored (bhandara) form. Accompanied by dog.