Angala Devi

Last updated
Angala Paramesvari Amman
Member of Matrikas
Shree Angala Parameswary Amman.jpg
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
AbodeMel Malayanoor
Weapon
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]

Contents

Legend

Angalamman is a manifestation of the Goddess Parvati. This manifestation of the Mother Goddess Parvati is more popular in South India. This is a fierce form of the Goddess Parvati and she is also a guardian deity in many villages.

It is stated that Goddess Parvati took the form of Angala Amman to help Shiva rid of the Kapala that was following Him after He cut off the fifth head of Brahma.

Legend has it that 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 sufferings that living beings had on earth.

But soon Shiva felt remorse and for redemption of the sin, Brahma told Shiva to become a wandering ascetic (Bhikshatana) and beg for food in his skull and he had remorse on and cured the sufferings that living beings had in 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.

Goddess 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. Goddess Parvati intentionally scattered food around the place and the Kapala of Brahma came down to eat them leaving the hand of Shiva. Goddess Parvati seized this opportunity and took the fierce form of Angalamman and stamped down the Kapala using her right leg and destroyed it to 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

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

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