Overview
Vishuddha (Sanskrit: विशुद्ध, IAST: viśuddha), also known as vishuddhi or the throat chakra, is the fifth primary chakra described in the Hindu yogic traditions of tantra. The Sanskrit term translates as "very pure", reflecting its symbolic association with purification and refined expression within the subtle body system.
In tantric iconography, the residing deity of Vishuddha is Panchavaktra Shiva, depicted with five heads and four arms. The presiding Shakti associated with this chakra is Shakini. Together, these forms represent the spiritual energies that practitioners visualise and contemplate at this centre during meditative practices.
As one of the principal chakras enumerated alongside Muladhara, Svadhishthana, Manipura, Anahata, Ajna and Sahasrara, Vishuddha occupies the throat region in traditional descriptions of the subtle body. It features in tantric and yogic texts as a focal point for sadhana, where contemplation of its deities, symbols and associated mantras forms part of the broader framework of inner practice.
References
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Vishuddha.