# Om Namah Shivay (1997 TV series)

Om Namah Shivay is an Indian television series that aired on DD National based on the Shiva Purana. The series is presumably named after the mantra Om Namah Shivaya.

## Plot

The plot centers around Shiva and brings Hindu theology to life in a series of interconnected stories. The serial begins with the creation of the universe and the other Devas, then guides the viewer through Shiva's marriage to Sati, Sati's death, Shiva's marriage to Parvati, and tales of many devotional acts, demonic battles, and important religious events (such as the creation of the twelve Jyotirlingas). It ends with events covered in the Mahābhārata and the blessing of the hero Arjuna by Shiva.
According to the show's introduce the material used to construct the show's plot and the script was extensive. Sources listed are the Vayu Purana, Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Linga Purana, Tantra Churamani, Valmiki Ramayana, Shvetashvatara Upanishad, Vamana Purana, Varaha Purana, Kurma Purana, Rudra Yamala Tantra, Padma Purana, Devi Bhagavata Purana, and Bhagavata Purana. The director, Dheeraj Kumar oversaw nine years of research to ensure that Om Namah Shivay's story was complete and accurate; nonetheless, the opening credits begin with an apology for any errors that may have been made in the series.

## Cast

* Samar Jai Singh as Shiva (1997, 2000–01)
** Yashodhan Rana replaced Singh as Shiva (1997–2000). He also portrayed the role of Kamadeva initially.
* Gayatri Shastry as Parvati and other forms of Shakti
** Manjeet Kullar as Sati
** Priyanka Putran as Kaushiki
* Jagesh Mukati as Ganesha
* Saurabh Agarwal as Kartikeya
* Rajeshwari Sachdev as Rati
* Amit Pachori as Vishnu
* Anita Kulkarni/Reena Kapoor as Lakshmi
* Sunil Nagar as Brahma
* Mona Parekh as Saraswati
* Sandeep Mehta as Narada
* Kishori Shahane Vij as Sumati/Sandhya/Chhaya
* Sameer Dharmadhikari as Priyavrata
* Roma Bali as Rohini/Barhismati
* Jyoti Joshi as Ila/Tapti
* Sandeep Mohan as Rama/Vajrasena
* Siraj Mustafa Khan as Krishna
* Sanjay Swaraj as Indra
* Shailey Chowdhary as Shachi
* Firdaus Mevawala as Brihaspati
* Bhakti Narula as Tara
* Santosh Kumar Shukla as Chandra
* Dharmendra Rana as Varuna
* Gautam Chaturvedi as Bhadrayu/Yudhishthira/Vasu
* Shalini Kapoor Sagar as Karkati, wife of Kumbhakarna
* Chand Dhar as Shukra
* Gajendra Chauhan as Daksha/Kartravirya Arjuna
* Kshama Raj as Prasuti/Ghritachi
* Virendra Razdan as Vishwakarma
* Nimai Bali as Jalandhara/Shani/ Duryodhana /Sindurasura
* Rajesh Shringarpore as Arjuna
* Gufi Paintal as Shakuni
* Sarvadaman D. Banerjee as Vrishadhvaja/Kannappa
* Upasana Singh as Mohini
* Sarvadaman D. Banerjee as Vrishadhvaja/Kannappa
* Kaushal Kapoor as Andhaka/ Kadamba
* Vaquar Shaikh as Ravana
* Manish Raj Sharma as Indrajita
* Sudhir Dalvi as Pulastya
* Pappu Polyester as Nandi
* Kulraj Bedi as Durgamasura / Kumbhakarna
* Raman Khatri as Vibhishana/Hiranyakashapu/ Bhasmasura
* Govind Khatri as Hiranyaksha / Rambha / Mount Meru
* Radhakrishna Dutta as Vidura / Markandeya / Dadhichi
* Pankaj Kalra as Durvasa
* Qasim Ali as Dushasana
* Navneet Chaddha as Nakula
* Keerti Gaekwad Kelkar as Draupadi
* Daman Maan as Mahishasura
* Utkarsha Naik as Kaikesi / Diti
* Arun Mathur as Sumali / Mount Mandara / Ruru / Mandhata
* Manish Sharma as Indrajita
* Amrit Pal as Tarakasura
* Mahendra Ghule as Kamalaksha / Bhima / Hanuman / Singhrasura
* Deepak Jethi as Vidyunmali
* Sanjeev Siddharth as Tarakaksha
* Prateek Bohara as Shumbha /Surya / Parshurama / Jamadagni
* Anil Yadav as Nishumbha / Parashurama
* Firoz Ali as Agni
* Renuka Israni as Ketumati
* Jitendra Trehan as Vasuki
* Arup Pal as Chitrangada
* Jaya Mathur as Simantini
* Kirti Singh as Tilottama / Vrinda
* Sanjeev Sharma as Prahlada / Bhagiratha
* Sunila Karambelkar as Ganga
* Anita Hassanandani Reddy as Devayani
* Aparna Aaskarkar as Kanheri
* Mulraj Rajda as Bhadrasena
* Manoj Joshi as Shiva Charan, and father of Somadutta, and so called father Bhadrayu

## Soundtrack

Songs from many well-known Indian singers are featured in this serial; a few examples include the title song "Om Namah Shivay" (Pandit Jasraj), "Rudra Rudra" (Vinod Rathod and Udit Narayan, episode 53), and "Trikal Darsh" (episode 89), "Man Mein Ek Kamna" (episode 62), and "Maha Shivratri Aayi" (Alka Yagnik). Sharang Dev composed music and Abhilash provided lyrics.
Unity is created in the series by using the same songs for different scenes, or even the same melodies with different lyrics, to soundtrack a recurring theme or situation. For example, the creation of each Jyotirling is accompanied by a chorus of the song "Ajar Amar Shiv Shankar." "Dharm Na Janu," sung by the boy Upmanyyu in episode 58, later becomes the melody for the song "Jeevan Kya Hai," which the young Markandeya sings in episode 168; each child sings to seek Shiva's protection through prayer. Indra, Narada, and the Devatas sing "Om Shri Tripund Dhari" to ask rescue from Shiva in episode 56; Sachi then sings the same melody as a prayer to Shakti, "Jai Shakti Dayini Maa," in episode 100.
Continuity is also created between different performers with music. For instance, the song "Maha Shivratri Aayi" is sung by Shiva's first wife Sati, and then by his second wife Parvati, both celebrating the great festival of Maha Shivaratri.

## Home video

In 2003, Om Namah Shivay was released as a two-part, 42-DVD set, distributed by Madhu Entertainment and Media. It includes an option for English subtitles and a choice of four languages for audio (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam).