Hinduism is the largest religion in the Indian subcontinent, and the third largest religion in the world. Hinduism has been called the 'oldest religion in the world, and many practitioners refer to Hinduism as 'the eternal law' (Sanātana Dharma). Within this faith, there are four major traditions or denominations, namely, Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. There also exist a number of minor traditions, such as Ganapatism and Saurism.

Trimurti

The Trimurti are the most prominent deities of contemporary Hinduism. This consists of Brahma- the Creator, Vishnu- the Preserver, and Shiva- the Destroyer. Their feminine counterparts are Saraswati- the wife of Brahma, Lakshmi- the wife of Vishnu, and Parvati (or Durga)- the wife of Shiva.

Brahma

Brahma is the god of creation, and the first of the Trimurti. His consort, as well as his shakti (divine energy), is Saraswati, the goddess of learning. He is identified with the Vedic creator god, Prajapati. His abode is at Satyaloka. The deity is said to have been born out of a lotus that grew out of the navel of Vishnu. He was given the four Vedas by Vishnu, and instructed to commence the act of creation. Brahma is not widely revered in contemporary Hinduism, as no major tradition emerged around his worship, as they did for Vishnu and Shiva.