Shiva Lingam
The lingam is the upright, pillar-like aniconic emblem of the Hindu god Shiva, found in temples, shrines and homes across India and the South Asian diaspora, and worshipped as the formless presence of the god. Its classic shape is a smooth column set in a circular base called the pitha, which represents the yoni of the goddess Shakti, so that the two pieces signify the union of the male and female principles. The foundational legend, the lingodbhava, tells that Shiva revealed himself as an infinite pillar of fire, so vast that neither Brahma nor Vishnu could find its top or bottom. In daily wo