Angala Devi

Angala Paramesvari Amman
Cities
Member of Matrikas
A statue of Angala Parameshvari Amman at Melmalayanur Angala Parameshvari Amman Temple
Other names	Angalamman Angala Devi Angala Paramesvari Angala Ishvari Thandeshwari Poongavanathuamman Periyayi Periyandichi Pechiyayi
Venerated in	Tamil Diaspora in Tamil Nadu, Fiji, Caribbean Tamil Communities, South Africa, Mauritius, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Trinidad & Tobago, Karnataka
Associate	Shiva
Abode	Mel Malayanoor
Weapon	Trident Sword
Adherents	Shaktas, Shaivas
Mount	Lion
Temples	Kottur Angala Parameshwari Mel Malayanoor Angalamman Putlur Poongavanathu Amman Chithalur Angalamman
Consort	Shiva [1]

Angala Devi, also known as Angalamman and Angala Paramesvari, is an aspect of the Hindu goddess Parvati, primarily worshipped in the villages of South India as a kaval deivam, a guardian deity. She is often additionally considered to be an aspect of one of the Matrikas. ^[2]

Legend

Angalamman is a manifestation of Parvati that is more popular in South India. She is a fierce form of Parvati who is a guardian deity in many villages. It is stated that Parvati took the form of Angala Amman to help Shiva get rid of the Kapala that was following him after he cut off the fifth head of Brahma.

According to legend, Shiva took the form of Bhairava and cut off the fifth head of Brahma for being arrogant about his creation. Brahma had no remorse about the suffering that living beings experienced on earth. Shiva soon felt remorseful. To receive redemption for the sin, Brahma told him to become a wandering ascetic (Bhikshatana) and beg for food in his skull, and he felt remorse for and cured the suffering of living beings on earth.

As per the story of Angalamman, the fifth head of Brahma started following Shiva. The head of Brahma made his home in the arm of Shiva and started eating whatever Shiva received from begging.

Parvati decided to put an end to the Kapala of Brahma. On the advice of Vishnu, she prepared food for Shiva at Thandakarunyam Tirtham near Angikulam Tirtham. Shiva came to eat the food. Parvati intentionally scattered food around the place and the Kapala of Brahma came down to eat them, leaving the hand of Shiva. Parvati seized this opportunity and took the fierce form of Angalamman and stamped down the Kapala using her right leg and destroyed it, turning it into ashes, after which it merged with Brahma.

The most famous temple dedicated to Angalamman is the Sri Angala Parameswari Temple at Melmalayanur in Gingee Taluk in Villupuram District in Tamil Nadu.

See also

• Isakki
• Matrikas
• Shitala
• Sudalai Madan

Notes

1. The Pink Line: The World's Queer Frontiers. Profile. 2 July 2020. ISBN   9781782837008.
2. Poston, Larry (10 March 2015). "Book Review: One God, Two Goddesses, Three Studies of South Indian Cosmology" . Missiology: An International Review. 43 (2): 223–224. doi:10.1177/0091829615569146b. ISSN   0091-8296. S2CID   163894459.

References

• W.T. Elmore, Dravidian Gods in Modern Hinduism.