Indra was the favourite national god of the Vedic Indians, with about 250 hymns dedicated to him in the Rig veda. Legends surround this Vedic God whilst establishing Him as the God of rain in Hindu mythology. In Vedic times, Indra was the supreme ruler of all the gods and the leader of Devas. Indra was god of war and greatest of all warriors. He was the strongest of all beings and ruled thunder and storms. Indra was the defender of all gods and mankind against the forces of the evil. In earlier scripts he was narrated as the aspect of the sun-god, riding in a golden chariot across the heaven. Later he was ascribed as the god of thunder and storms owning a celestial weapon Vajra or lightening bolt. He is regarded as the creator god since he brings water to the earth and thus causes fertility. He has also the power to revive slain warriors who had fallen in the battle.

Indra is a powerful god. He is described with a fair-reddish complexion and either two or four very long arms. He is the son of Sky God Dyaus Pita and the Earth Goddess Prithivi. He was born as a full grown four armed young man from his mother`s womb. Indra`s wife is Indrani and his attendants are called Maruts. He had many sons such as Jayanta, Midhusa, Nilambara, Rbhus, Rsabha, Sitragupta. Arjun is one of the most famous sons of Indra who was born from Kunti. Most hymns in the Rigveda are dedicated to Indra. In the Rig Veda, Indra is described as a great drinker of Soma or wine . It is said that sometime he drinks to attain power for the battle but most of the times he drinks because he wants to get drunk. For his conveyance he uses chariot and when not in the chariot, he rides the divine elephant Airavata, who is always victorious ,has four tusks and look like a mountain. Indra is given several titles including Sakra (powerful), Vajri (the thunderer), Purandara (destroyer of cities), Meghavahana (rider of the clouds) and Swargapati (the Lord of heaven).

The rig Veda has a wonderful account of the abode of Indra. Swarga or the heaven, situated in the clouds surrounding the highest peak of sacred mountain Meru is said to be the abode of Indra. It is said that this heaven could move anywhere according to Lord`s command. There is an enormous hall where Indra`s court is held and slain warriors go their after their death. Indra and his beautiful consort Indrani preside over the paradise. No sorrow, suffering or fear are allowed to enter Indra`s abode. Apsaras dance and Gandharvas play music to entertain Indra and other guest at the abode of Indra.

Indra`s most important deed is the slaying of the asura (`demon`) Vritra, who was a Dragon (ahi). Vritra took the form of a powerful dragon and had stolen all the water from the world. No one could defeat him until Indra was born. When Indra heard what has happened he vowed to take back the life giving liquid. Before the battle he drank Soma to attain power. Indra chased Vritra through smashing ninety-nine fortresses. He finally faced the terrible dragon. After a fierce battle Indra was able to destroy his powerful foe. Vritra had kept the earth in draught, but when Indra split him open, water fell from the sky. Thus Indra became hero to all people and the gods elected him as their king.

In the later version of the story, Vritra was created by Tvashtri to take revenge on Indra, who killed his other son Trisira, who was a pious Brahmin. Indra killed Trisira as his power worried him. Vritra won the battle and swallowed Indra. Other gods insisted Vritra to vomit out Indra. The battle continued and Indra fled away. Vishnu and other sages negotiated a peace and Indra swore that he would not attack Vritra any more with anything made of metal, wood or stone, nor with anything that was dry or wet or during day or night. Finally Indra used the foam from the wave of oceans to kill Vritra on the twilight.

There is a curious story about Indra in Brahmavaivarta Purana. After defeating Vritra, Indra was elected as the King and He then ordered the heavenly craftsman Viswakarma to build a grand palace for him. Indra was so proud about his success that he demanded every fine details and more improvement from the craftsman. At last, Viswakarma was so exhausted that he asked for help from Brahma, who in turn appealed Vishnu, the supreme Lord.

Vishnu visited Indra`s palace in the guise of a Brahamin boy. The boy was welcomed by Indra and Vishnu entered the palace. He praised the palace and casually added that no former Indra was able to build such a beautiful palace. At first Indra was amused at the Brahaman boy`s claim to know many other Indras but his amusement turned to horror when he learned about his ancestor Indras. The boy told Indra about the great cycle of creation and destruction and even about the enormous number of worlds scattered throughout the universe, each with its own Indra. The boy claimed that he had seen them all. During the boy`s speech, a procession of ants entered the hall. The boy saw it and smiled. Indra asked the boy the reason behind his laughing. The boy answered that all the ants are the former Indras.

During this conversation another visitor entered the hall. This visitor was Lord Shiva, in the form of a hermit. On his chest there was a circular cluster of hairs, which was intact at the circumference but there was a gap in the middle. Shiva said that each of the chest hair represented the life of one Indra. Each time a hair fall denoted the death of one Indra which was replaced by another Indra.

Indra was no longer interested in wealth and honor. He rewarded Viswakarma and released him from his work. Indra decided to avoid the life of luxury and became a hermit to seek wisdom. Indra`s wife felt helpless and asked the priest Brihaspati to change her husband`s mind. Brihaspati taught Indra the virtues of both spiritual life and worldly life. Thus Indra learned to pursue wisdom while still fulfilling his duty as a king.

It is said that as Indra`s weapon, Vajra is made from the bones of a sage Dadhichi so in the Brahmanic and in later times therefore, Indra gradually lost much of his grandeur and was replaced by Vishnu and Shiva as the supreme gods. Indra eventually was given the role of weather god and the lord of Demi Gods.

According to the Vedic concept each `Manu` ruled during a longest geographical period or eon, which is called `Manvantara`. Fourteen Manvantaras make up a `Kalpa`, which is a period corresponding to the life of Brahma. These fourteen manwantaras were ruled by different Indras. The Svayambhuva was ruled by Yajna, who was an incarnation of Vishnu; in Swarochis the ruler Indra was Vipaschit; in Uttam Sushaanti; in Taamas Shibi; in Raivat Vibhu; in Chaakshush Manojav; in Shraaddhdev Purandar or the present Indra ; in Saavarni Bali; in Daksha Saavarni Adbhut; in Brahma Saavarni Shanti; in Dharma Saavarni Vish; in Rudraputra Saavarni Ritudhaama;in Ruchi or Deva Saavarni Devaspati; in Bhaum or Indra Saavarni Suchi.