Pidari
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Iconography
This village goddess possesses most of the attributes of Kali. Her attributes are the cup, fire, noose, and trident. She may also have snakes coiled around her breasts.
She may be represented by a stone. Temples that venerate her do so under the name of Pidari Amman.
Legend
Pidari, along with her other members of the Navashakti, were once glorious, but their arrogance caused them to be banished to the earth. They were offered the task of overseeing the affairs of human beings and protecting them, which they undertook. This caused them to be venerated by the rural folk who celebrated festivals in their honour, and hence they became gramadevatas.[3]
Cult
The cult of Pitari evolved as a synthesis of the native mother goddess with an aspect of the goddess Kali, and is invoked in many villages to ward off evil and demons. The cult was featured in regional literature by the seventh century CE, and was primarily centered in Tamil Nadu. Her cult moved on, and reached a climax in eastern India between the eighth and twelfth centuries.
See also
References
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Bibliography
- Jordan, Michael, Encyclopedia of Gods, New York, Facts On File, Inc. 1993, p. 205
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