Indian mythology refers to the symbolic stories, rituals and doctrines that originated in India. These mainly originate from the Hindu texts known as the Vedas, epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and the Puranas.

The earliest origins of Indian mythology can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization around 2600-1900 BCE. Artefacts and relics have revealed motifs that reappear in later Hindu texts, indicating a continuity of beliefs.

The Vedic Period from around 1500 BCE saw the composition of the Vedas, which contained hymns praising Vedic deities like Indra, Agni and Surya. The Brahmanical Period saw the creation of commentaries called the Brahmanas. into Indian mythology.

In modern times, the mythologies of Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism prevail. Hindu mythology contains stories about the origin of the universe, gods and goddesses, heroes, animals and demons.

Some of the major themes in Indian mythology are cosmology, deities like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Saraswati and Lakshmi, incarnations like Rama and Krishna, and heroes from the epics.