Different Hindu Perceptions of a Diety

The ultimate truth or reality in Hinduism is Brahman, and the goal of Hinduism is to comprehend this truth. It is difficult to attempt to understand something like Brahman because Brahman is formless and eternal, so we visualize specific aspects of him, in the form of deities, to help us understand Brahman. Thus, deities come to represent specific aspects of the ultimate truth. With the rise of the Bhakti movement in India, an individuals personal relationship to God became very important. This created the concept of an ishta devata, or a deity of choice. Essentially, it is one's own deity of preference. The factors that go into choosing an ishta devata are numerous, and are primarily dictated by the lifestyle of the individual. However, there is also the idea in Hinduism that a deity is not necessary to realization, and that realization can be attained by pure self inquiry; this was the method used by Ramana Maharishi, and is also seen in Jainism. There is also the perception to some Hindus that at least some deities were people that physically existed on this earth. This idea gains credibility from evidence supporting the historical occurrence of the Ramayana, though such evidence does not in any way lend to a clear conclusion.

What's your ishta devata and why? 
Does a deities being real or not impact the way you view Hinduism?"