What was the Inca god of thunder and lightning called?

The Inca god of thunder and lightning was called Illapa. He was also associated with rain, weather, and warfare, making him one of the most important deities in a society whose crops depended heavily on seasonal rainfall.

Illapa was imagined as a powerful figure who controlled storms. In one traditional account, he drew water from the Milky Way and used a sling to strike a vessel, producing thunder, lightning, and rain. This imagery connected celestial phenomena with the practical needs of agriculture and animal husbandry in the Andes.

The deity’s names and spellings varied across regions and sources. Forms include Apu Illapa, Ilyap’a, Chuquiylla, and Catuilla. Spanish chroniclers described Illapa as a warrior figure, and the Incas held rituals for him at high places and mountain shrines. He is sometimes confused with Inti, the sun god, or Viracocha, the creator deity, but Illapa’s distinctive sphere was storm and weather power. His worship also reflected the Inca belief that mountains and the sky were active sacred forces.