Shivaism is one of the main branches of Hinduism, a Shiva worship tradition. Shivaism is widely practiced throughout India and beyond, especially in Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Shiva is a Hindu deity whose roots are in the pre-Aryan (pre-Vedic) period of the Indus Valley and the religions of the aboriginal population of the south of the Indian subcontinent. The famous Indologist R. N. Dandekar described Shiva religion as the oldest of the currently existing religions in the civilized world.

Shiva represents cosmic consciousness, the static masculine essence of the universe (Purusha), in opposition to Shakti (Prakriti), the dynamic feminine essence of the universe, manifested as the material world.

In the late period of India mythological worldview development (the Puranic period, approximately 300-1200), Shiva was united with the creator Brahma and sustainer Vishnu in the supreme triad (trimurti) as the destructive beginning of the universe. At the same time, in some Indian traditions, such as Kashmiri Shivaism, Shiva is an absolute deity, performing creating and destructing functions.

In the Mahabharata (1.1.20), Ishana (one of Shiva's names) is called "the original husband (adya purusha), the only imperishable and eternal," and is identified with Brahma and Vishnu-Hari.

According to the Shiva-purana, he is the creator of both Vishnu and Brahma. He embodies both destructive and creative principles. In Hinduism he is called Mahadev, which means "the greatest of the gods (devas)". The five divine roles of Shiva are: creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment, and grace giving. Known by the names Rudra, Shankara, Shambhu, Mahadeva, and Maheshvara. Shiva's main mantra "Om namah Shivaya" found in the Vedas in the Yajur-veda hymn "Shatarudriya" or "Hymn to a Hundred Rudras".

Shivaite schools differ from each other in many aspects. But all of them basically use the following:

- Ashes, bhasma or vibhuti, are universally used by all Shivaite schools. It may be ashes from a yajna or other fire ritual. But the most honored ashes are from cremation sites - smarshans. Ashes applied to the body symbolize detachment from the world and indicate the finitude of existence in the world of maya. The ashes should be applied on the forehead, chest, neck and arms in three horizontal strips or cover the whole body with them.

- Rudraksha, "eye of Rudra", a species of evergreen broad-leaved trees of the eleocarp family. Rudraksha grains are used in all Shivaite schools. They are used as a worship object, beads, jewelry and amulets.

- Lingam is the main non-anthropomorphic symbol of Shiva. It is the main and most important form and (or) image of Shiva. In most cases it looks as a vertically placed cylinder with a rounded or hemispherical top. Most often it is placed at the base of a circle (rarely a square), symbolizing yoni. The image of Linga-yoni-murti symbolizes the "indivisible unity of male (Shiva, passive) and female (Devi, active), and this combination creates life. Some branches of Shivaism, mainly Lingayats, use the lingam without yoni in their practice.