The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word SHIVA
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
S
H
I
V
A
More clues leading to the result SHIVA
- Hindu deity sees five parting Muslims
- Hindu god against breaking 18 days of mourning
- Victor welcomed by Islamic group is a divinity
- Among Muslims, very destructive deity
- . Kind of Muslim to accept verse of Hindu god
- Weapon improvised by a god
- Lavish spread with no starter for Hindu god
- Quiet leader of India versus a destructive lord
- God — picking up Ivy has worked out!
- His changes to the Bible upset God
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Hindu deity" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hindu deity = shiva.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SHIVA mean?
SHIVA noun- A weeklong period of formal mourning for a close relative.