Deities and Definitions

You will find some quick reference items here for those of you who are not familiar with India or will be sharing it with your kids.

Some terms you might want to know:

• Desi - "countryman"; someone from India.
• God's Own Country - South India (more specifically, Kerela)
• Thali Plate - a way of serving food on a metal plate with each dish in a small metal cup or bowl.
• Mehndi - semi-permanent designs (they last a week or two), like tattoos on the hands and feet made with henna. Usually for weddings.
• Tuk-Tuk - a motorized bicycle cab.
• Mahabharata and Ramayana - Indian Epic stories like the Odessy and the Iliad.

Some Gods and Goddesses:

• Vishnu - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu


• Kali - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali


• Ganesha - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha


• Parvati - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvati


• Rama - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama


• Sita - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sita


• Radha - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radha


• Krishna - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna


• Hanuman - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanuman


• Shiva - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva


• Indra - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra


• Brahman - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman


• Siddhartha, Gautama Buddha - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha