Kuber Thangka

Handpainted Kuber thangka.

Kubera, also referred to as Kuber, Kuberan and Kuvera, is the Lord of Wealth according to Hindu mythology. He is a semi-divine being, called a Yaksha and is also a god-king. Considered to be a Dik-pala or the regent of the North, he is also a Lokapala or a protector of the world. The earliest Vedic texts described him as the chief of evil spirits. But the Puranas and the Hindu epics extolled Kubera as a Deva. He once ruled Lanka, but was overthrown by his half-brother Ravana. He later settled down in the city of Alaka in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. Several scriptures extol his many virtues, also praising his glorious and splendorous city. Some other scriptures state that he currently resides in a beautiful mountain near Kailasa, Lord Shiva's abode.