Kaval Deivangal (village deities)

They do not belong to the vedic - Agamic pantheon of Hinduism are found in almost all villages throughout in India, Malaysia and Singapore. They are associated to a main deity who is generally ascribed as Kula Deivam by various sects of community and clan groups as part of the tracing their generation through centuries.

Most of these village deities have their shrines on the periphery (border or outskirts) of the village as a representation of their Village Guardian position. Hence they are referred as "Peripheral Folk Deity". 21 associate deities and 61 servant deities are located in either the same premises or located in different places of the locality, for e.g.: Amman deities may be installed in the centre of the village but the Sonai, Sudalai or the Formless Nadukkal deities may be installed close to graveyards (cemeteries or burial and sometimes, also near memorial centres).

These Village deities are either represented in the form of a huge, fierce statue or as a simple stone. Most of these temples are not closed premises but are simple and small worship areas. Weapons such as a trident or a lance or sickles are also associated with these shrines.

We also see lots of terracotta horses, elephants, clay dolls & birds and bells (very similar to Indus Culture). Most officiating priests are pandarams and derive from the local ancestral lineages that had initiated the cult centres generations ago. In ancient times most of the City priests were pandarams.Before Nayakkar rule Madurai Meenakshiamman temple pujas were performed by them.

The worship pattern is non-vedic through Folk tale, Folk Song and Folk arts (Villupattu, Karakattam, Koothhu, etc.). The local priest might offer flowers or Veeputhi (holy ash) or Holy flowers to the worshippers and may play the oracle role for shamanism.

-From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mainly these Kaval Deivangal come under one of the this categories:

Guardian deities

• Ayyannar
• [ (Muniyappan ) ] (Protector of the innocent and the valiant, main deity of ramapuram, Cuddalore )
• Veera Maha Kali [Goddess of War and power]
• Madurai Veeran
• Ondi karuppanna samy of Sholanganallur and Puthur Village In Tiruchi District of Tamil Nadu
• Kulumayee Amman Ellai Pidari Amman of Sholanganallur And Puthur village
• Maha Kali Amman of Sholanganallur Village
• Karuppanaar swamy (“Karuppu” means black in Tamil and is associated with dark, night, etc.). The typical varinats of Karuppu or 18 steps Karuppu, Sanglilikarupan, Aagaya Karuppu (Thanjavur, Amaravathy), Maarnatu karuppu, Manda Karuppu, Munnadi Karuppu, Samaya Karuppu, Sinna Karuppu, Peria Karuppu,Santhana Karuppu,Thundi Karuppu,Malayala Karuppu, Sappani Karuppu, sonehkarupu etc.
• Kaateri amman (“Kaateri” means vampire)
• Sudalai Maadan swamy (“Sudalai” means burial ground/ pyre and “Sudalai maadan” means guardian of burial ground)
• Kali or Kali Amman was considered as the causative force for cholera
• Mari was considered as a causative force for smallpox, chicken pox, mumps and measles (Maari in Tamil means rain. Since the rainfall cooled the otherwise hot area and protected people from summer sicknesses like viral infections, people started worshipping the rain goddess as Maari Amman)
• Muniandi
• Periyachi Amman: Guardian of children and mothers
• Sri Pada Muthu Swami at Inam Karisal Kulam.
• Ellai amman or Ellai Maari Amman worshipped in many villages is actually a mile stone which demarcated the boundaries of two villages. In olden days, people when they travel from one village to another village started relaxing near these stones and in due course started praying to them for safe journey. Thus, slowly these milestones attained the position of village gods and goddesses.

There are other various Natural energy worship in the form of Muthaaramman, Muthalamman, Pachai Thanni Amman, Pachaiyamman, Pal Pazhakkari amman, Solai amman.


Thottichiamman :She is believed to be the direct manifestation of Shiva himself without Shakti