A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing.

Of the existing major religions today, Hinduism is the only religion where the sacred feminine occupies a central place in prayer and worship. Sacred Feminine or Shaktism is one of the three major Hindu denominations of worship along with Vishnu and Shiva.

The primacy of a monotheistic or near-monotheistic "Great Goddess" is advocated by some modern matriarchists as a female version of,...