Hinduism is sometimes said to be a religion of millions of Gods. Yet it is based on a firm belief in the Absolute Divine—the singular force that joins all facets of existence. Most Hindus believe that the Absolute takes on many forms, however, and so worshippers pray to different Gods and Goddesses who embody the power of the Divine.

In India, four out of five people are Hindu, a total of roughly 900 million devotees. A cornerstone of Indian heritage that dates back thousands of years, Hinduism is more of a culture than an organized religion. Each community has its own legends and teachings associated with the Hindu deities, including regional names for the Gods and Goddesses.

Hinduism embraces diversity and encourages daily spiritual, emotional and artistic acts of devotion. Encounters with the Divine through individual worship are central to the Hindu experience. Darshan, a Sanskrit term that means "meeting God," is that moment when a devotee communes directly with the Divine. A devout Hindu may achieve darshan at home during daily private worship, when viewing a sacred sculpture carried in a procession, during a temple ritual guided by a priest, or when viewing a holy place or person. Wherever it takes place, darshan comes only to those who open their minds and spirits to the larger force of the Absolute Divine.