Lingam Facts for Kids

A linga or a lingam is a very complex symbol of Hinduism. It is associated with Shiva, supreme god in main gods of the Hindus. The Hindu scriptures say that a linga represents energy and strength. In almost all the temples of Shiva, Shiva is shown in the form of a linga.

A linga-yoni in Nepal carved with four seated Buddhas.

The Hindu scriptures also say that Shiva took twelve forms as Jyotirlinga, that is, a linga of light. In India, there are twelve places where this form of Shiva is worshiped. The Hindu scriptures also tell about five more forms of lingas. These form of lingas represent the earth, the water, the fire, the air and the sky (or ether). There are five different places in India where Hindus worship these forms of Shiva. These places are located at the following locations:

Kanchipuram: God Shiva’s linga in the form of the earth
Srirangam: God Shiva’s linga in the form of the water
Tiruvannamalai: God Shiva’s linga in the form of the fire
Kalahasti: God Shiva’s linga in the form of the air
Chidambaram: God Shiva’s linga in the form of the sky (or ether)

Beside above places, in almost all the towns and villages of India, Shiva’s temples are found. In all such temples, lingas are worshipped. The traditional lingam rituals in major Shiva temples includes offerings of flowers, grass, dried rice, fruits, leaves, water and a milk bath. In the Hindu tradition, special pilgrimage sites include those where natural lingams are found in the form of cylindrical rocks or ice or rocky hill.

A lingam with tripundra

A lingam may be made of clay (mrinmaya), metal (lohaja), precious stone (ratnaja), wood (daruja), stone (sailaja, most common), or a disposal material (kshanika). The construction method, proportions and design is described in Shaiva Agama texts.

Various styles of lingam iconography are found on the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia.

The tallest Shiva lingam in the world is located at Chenkal village in Thiruvananthapuram district in the state of Kerala, India.

Images for kids

Lingam as interpreted in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition, a major school of Shaivism. The upper and lower parts represent Parashiva and Parashakti perfections of Lord Shiva.
Stone lingam and yoni pedestal found in Cát Tiên, Vietnam, circa 8th century. At 2.1 meter tall, this is the largest lingam ever found in Southeast Asia
A Buddhist stupa (above) may have influenced the later iconography of the Hindu Shiva-linga, according to Swami Vivekananda.
Lingam from Angkor period on display at the National Museum of Cambodia. Discovered in Battambang Province (Cambodia), it is made of bronze, quartz and silver.
Lingodbhava is a Shaiva sectarian icon where Shiva is depicted rising from the Lingam (an infinite fiery pillar) that narrates how Shiva is the foremost of the Trimurti; Brahma on the left and Vishnu on the right are depicted bowing to Shiva in the centre.
A person worshipping a Linga
A necklace with linga-containing pendant is constantly worn by the Lingayats.
Linga inside a railing (left), being worshipped by Gandharvas winged creatures. Art of Mathura, circa 100 BCE.
Shiva Linga worshipped by Kushan devotees, circa 2nd century CE
Lingodbhava (Chola period)
Lingodbhava (Chola period)
Badavlinga, Hampi (Vijayanagara Empire)
8 faced Shivlingam in Pashupatinath Temple at Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh
Natural rock linga, Arunachal Pradesh
A 10th-century four-face Mukhalinga, Nepal
Sixty four lingams (Nepal)
An 11th-century linga-yoni plaque with a worshipper (Nepal)
Lingam from Angkor period, Battambang Province (Cambodia)
Linga-yoni, Java (Indonesia)
Copper lingam at the Cát Tiên sanctuary, Vietnam
A jatalinga with yoni (Champa, Vietnam)
A lingam at the Katas Raj Temples in north Pakistan

Lingam facts for kids

Images for kids

See also