Female Deities of Goa | Goa State PSC (GPSC) Preparation - GPSC (Goa) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
FEMALE DEITIES  
The important female deities of Goa like, ..974teriL  
Sh7;ntadurga, BhrukaL  Kelbai L  Gajalakshmi, Mall -5. 1s - a - , and  
ra -mTkshi  are discussed in this chapter. Man started 
worshipping female deities from the upper palaeolithic 
period. 1  Many female deities have folk origins and they have 
regional variations. Different legends and traditions are 
associated with them. Some folk deities are absorbed in 
PurIngs but the assimilation of the folk deities into purgrais 
was gradual process. Puriin -gs are not restricted to the 
traditions of the Aryans only. Pur -SnWs absorbed Dravidian 
Austric as well as Mongoloid deities. 2  Thus the folk deities 
like STIteri, BhgUka  and MaliElsa  were sanskritised. The very 
large part of modern folk religion goes to the beginning of 
neolithic period. That was the beginning of cultivation and 
pastoralism. 
The concept of folk deities has been discussed by the 
eminent scholars and they have referred to them as loukika  
deva. 3  A new branch of Archaeology called Ethno-Archaeology  
specialises the field of folk deities. But in 1960's itself 
this approach was developed and the interpretations are 
published in Myth and Reality. 4  The folk-deities like SA ...Lori  
and BhTukr  are grIlnadevatrs  and they arc found in the most of 
the villages of Goa. The priests in the temples of folk- 
Page 2


 
FEMALE DEITIES  
The important female deities of Goa like, ..974teriL  
Sh7;ntadurga, BhrukaL  Kelbai L  Gajalakshmi, Mall -5. 1s - a - , and  
ra -mTkshi  are discussed in this chapter. Man started 
worshipping female deities from the upper palaeolithic 
period. 1  Many female deities have folk origins and they have 
regional variations. Different legends and traditions are 
associated with them. Some folk deities are absorbed in 
PurIngs but the assimilation of the folk deities into purgrais 
was gradual process. Puriin -gs are not restricted to the 
traditions of the Aryans only. Pur -SnWs absorbed Dravidian 
Austric as well as Mongoloid deities. 2  Thus the folk deities 
like STIteri, BhgUka  and MaliElsa  were sanskritised. The very 
large part of modern folk religion goes to the beginning of 
neolithic period. That was the beginning of cultivation and 
pastoralism. 
The concept of folk deities has been discussed by the 
eminent scholars and they have referred to them as loukika  
deva. 3  A new branch of Archaeology called Ethno-Archaeology  
specialises the field of folk deities. But in 1960's itself 
this approach was developed and the interpretations are 
published in Myth and Reality. 4  The folk-deities like SA ...Lori  
and BhTukr  are grIlnadevatrs  and they arc found in the most of 
the villages of Goa. The priests in the temples of folk- 
4 
fi 
deities like Bhrukli i.  Srteri and Veticla  were Gavdas. No 
Ganskrit Mantras  and complicated rituals are associated with 
the worship of these folk-deities. 5  
Sateri (Bhumik-S and Erg)  
The early farming communities all over India started 
showing increased interest in fertility and magical means of 
promoting it. These are found at folk level rites and 
festivals which are intimately associated with the changing 
seasons, the sowing and harvesting of crops and breeding 
cattle and other live-stock. The early cultivators realised 
that the earth is generous in giving bountiful crops for their 
subsistance. 6  This might have been responsible for the origin 
of Mother Goddess worship. If she is not worshipped she might 
get angry and take ferocious form namely that of goddess Kali  
and act as an instrument of destruction. ?  The Goddess of earth 
is not having the same name all over India. There are many 
regional variations and also numerous Grlima-devafrs  
representing mother earth and these are obviously meant for 
the particular village and act as the benefactor of the 
village. Therefore, the grala-devatiTs is the personification 
of female energy as represented by Mother Earth. 8  
The ant-hills symbolically represent mother earth and are 
made up of earth itself. In many regions such as Goa, Konkan 
Andhra and Karnataka, ant-hills are worshipped and these ant- 
Page 3


 
FEMALE DEITIES  
The important female deities of Goa like, ..974teriL  
Sh7;ntadurga, BhrukaL  Kelbai L  Gajalakshmi, Mall -5. 1s - a - , and  
ra -mTkshi  are discussed in this chapter. Man started 
worshipping female deities from the upper palaeolithic 
period. 1  Many female deities have folk origins and they have 
regional variations. Different legends and traditions are 
associated with them. Some folk deities are absorbed in 
PurIngs but the assimilation of the folk deities into purgrais 
was gradual process. Puriin -gs are not restricted to the 
traditions of the Aryans only. Pur -SnWs absorbed Dravidian 
Austric as well as Mongoloid deities. 2  Thus the folk deities 
like STIteri, BhgUka  and MaliElsa  were sanskritised. The very 
large part of modern folk religion goes to the beginning of 
neolithic period. That was the beginning of cultivation and 
pastoralism. 
The concept of folk deities has been discussed by the 
eminent scholars and they have referred to them as loukika  
deva. 3  A new branch of Archaeology called Ethno-Archaeology  
specialises the field of folk deities. But in 1960's itself 
this approach was developed and the interpretations are 
published in Myth and Reality. 4  The folk-deities like SA ...Lori  
and BhTukr  are grIlnadevatrs  and they arc found in the most of 
the villages of Goa. The priests in the temples of folk- 
4 
fi 
deities like Bhrukli i.  Srteri and Veticla  were Gavdas. No 
Ganskrit Mantras  and complicated rituals are associated with 
the worship of these folk-deities. 5  
Sateri (Bhumik-S and Erg)  
The early farming communities all over India started 
showing increased interest in fertility and magical means of 
promoting it. These are found at folk level rites and 
festivals which are intimately associated with the changing 
seasons, the sowing and harvesting of crops and breeding 
cattle and other live-stock. The early cultivators realised 
that the earth is generous in giving bountiful crops for their 
subsistance. 6  This might have been responsible for the origin 
of Mother Goddess worship. If she is not worshipped she might 
get angry and take ferocious form namely that of goddess Kali  
and act as an instrument of destruction. ?  The Goddess of earth 
is not having the same name all over India. There are many 
regional variations and also numerous Grlima-devafrs  
representing mother earth and these are obviously meant for 
the particular village and act as the benefactor of the 
village. Therefore, the grala-devatiTs is the personification 
of female energy as represented by Mother Earth. 8  
The ant-hills symbolically represent mother earth and are 
made up of earth itself. In many regions such as Goa, Konkan 
Andhra and Karnataka, ant-hills are worshipped and these ant- 
hills have vorious names of goddesses either Renuk7, Maangi,  
Yellardri  and Joguambri.  In Tamilnadu the goddess connected with 
ant-hills is called Putturu.  In Tamil Putturu  means an ant-
hill. In Addivarya MaligOili temple, a large ant-hill is called 
Bhomadr  and is worshipped. 9  This word is derived from Bhoum 
whiCh means made of earth. Incidentally on the way to Ponda, 
beyond Bhanastari,  there is a village named Bhom.  This village 
has been named by the early settlers so as to had a huge ant-
bill and the ant-hill is being worshipped as S-ateri  and she is 
also called Bhumik2i  in Goa. The complete synthesis of Bhumik3  
is also indicated by the shrine of this goddess at Poriem in 
Sattari taluka which is called STriterichi Bhumika." 
The name of sage Jamadagni's wife is Renukh-  and she is 
also called YellammT. Some scholars are of the opinion that 
the reference to the folk-deity El - a-, in the inscription of 
Nundem in Sanguem taluka of Goa is the earliest references to 
Yellameg. 11  The worship of Ell7 Gouri is still current among 
Saraswats of Dakshina annada. 12  Renu means any particles and 
the ant-hills are made of particles of clay. Therefore, the 
goddess whose abode has been named Renukr. 13  The worship of 
the ant-hill is the worship of RenukT or Yellamma. Yellamma 
consists of two Dravidian words namely ells  means all and ammT 
means mother. Hence she is mother of al1. 14  Here again a 
personification is seen of female energy as represented by 
Om. 
mother earth. As per the tradition Renuka has been 
Page 4


 
FEMALE DEITIES  
The important female deities of Goa like, ..974teriL  
Sh7;ntadurga, BhrukaL  Kelbai L  Gajalakshmi, Mall -5. 1s - a - , and  
ra -mTkshi  are discussed in this chapter. Man started 
worshipping female deities from the upper palaeolithic 
period. 1  Many female deities have folk origins and they have 
regional variations. Different legends and traditions are 
associated with them. Some folk deities are absorbed in 
PurIngs but the assimilation of the folk deities into purgrais 
was gradual process. Puriin -gs are not restricted to the 
traditions of the Aryans only. Pur -SnWs absorbed Dravidian 
Austric as well as Mongoloid deities. 2  Thus the folk deities 
like STIteri, BhgUka  and MaliElsa  were sanskritised. The very 
large part of modern folk religion goes to the beginning of 
neolithic period. That was the beginning of cultivation and 
pastoralism. 
The concept of folk deities has been discussed by the 
eminent scholars and they have referred to them as loukika  
deva. 3  A new branch of Archaeology called Ethno-Archaeology  
specialises the field of folk deities. But in 1960's itself 
this approach was developed and the interpretations are 
published in Myth and Reality. 4  The folk-deities like SA ...Lori  
and BhTukr  are grIlnadevatrs  and they arc found in the most of 
the villages of Goa. The priests in the temples of folk- 
4 
fi 
deities like Bhrukli i.  Srteri and Veticla  were Gavdas. No 
Ganskrit Mantras  and complicated rituals are associated with 
the worship of these folk-deities. 5  
Sateri (Bhumik-S and Erg)  
The early farming communities all over India started 
showing increased interest in fertility and magical means of 
promoting it. These are found at folk level rites and 
festivals which are intimately associated with the changing 
seasons, the sowing and harvesting of crops and breeding 
cattle and other live-stock. The early cultivators realised 
that the earth is generous in giving bountiful crops for their 
subsistance. 6  This might have been responsible for the origin 
of Mother Goddess worship. If she is not worshipped she might 
get angry and take ferocious form namely that of goddess Kali  
and act as an instrument of destruction. ?  The Goddess of earth 
is not having the same name all over India. There are many 
regional variations and also numerous Grlima-devafrs  
representing mother earth and these are obviously meant for 
the particular village and act as the benefactor of the 
village. Therefore, the grala-devatiTs is the personification 
of female energy as represented by Mother Earth. 8  
The ant-hills symbolically represent mother earth and are 
made up of earth itself. In many regions such as Goa, Konkan 
Andhra and Karnataka, ant-hills are worshipped and these ant- 
hills have vorious names of goddesses either Renuk7, Maangi,  
Yellardri  and Joguambri.  In Tamilnadu the goddess connected with 
ant-hills is called Putturu.  In Tamil Putturu  means an ant-
hill. In Addivarya MaligOili temple, a large ant-hill is called 
Bhomadr  and is worshipped. 9  This word is derived from Bhoum 
whiCh means made of earth. Incidentally on the way to Ponda, 
beyond Bhanastari,  there is a village named Bhom.  This village 
has been named by the early settlers so as to had a huge ant-
bill and the ant-hill is being worshipped as S-ateri  and she is 
also called Bhumik2i  in Goa. The complete synthesis of Bhumik3  
is also indicated by the shrine of this goddess at Poriem in 
Sattari taluka which is called STriterichi Bhumika." 
The name of sage Jamadagni's wife is Renukh-  and she is 
also called YellammT. Some scholars are of the opinion that 
the reference to the folk-deity El - a-, in the inscription of 
Nundem in Sanguem taluka of Goa is the earliest references to 
Yellameg. 11  The worship of Ell7 Gouri is still current among 
Saraswats of Dakshina annada. 12  Renu means any particles and 
the ant-hills are made of particles of clay. Therefore, the 
goddess whose abode has been named Renukr. 13  The worship of 
the ant-hill is the worship of RenukT or Yellamma. Yellamma 
consists of two Dravidian words namely ells  means all and ammT 
means mother. Hence she is mother of al1. 14  Here again a 
personification is seen of female energy as represented by 
Om. 
mother earth. As per the tradition Renuka has been 
t- 
metamorphosed into one hundred and one shaktis  which have 
become the village goddesses. 15  
In south Konkan from Kudal to Sirasi in Uttar Kannada 
i.e. in the west coast belt the worship of ant-hills is 
prevalent." In the abode region the goddess who is worshipped 
in the form of ant-hill is called Sateri  According to Behre, 
Sateri is a Kannada word which is derived from sapta 
teri,Sapta-sevenieri-layer or wave in Kannada. It is believed 
that ant-hills are made of seven layers. 17  The people of West-
Coast speaking kbnkani an Indo-Aryan language borrowed kinnada 
word and coined the word S5teri which is a local deity of 
Konkan. However, Dhere explains the etymology of Kannada word 
Satta,  Sapta seven but satt word has different usage in 
Kannada which means "dying in shame". Therefore, the original 
word sat is associated with shame and nakedness. Ant-hill is 
considered as female reproductive organ. 18  
In the list of Gr- e- tmadevatas  furnished by Bopadeva, 
V-glmikini  is mentioned. lailmik means an ant-hill.19 Hence the 
deity whose abode is an ant-hill is named as Wilmikini.  For 
the religious rites in scriptures five sacred type of soils 
are mentioned and one of them is the soil from the ant-hill. 28  
Sh- A -ntWdurg- g   
The second chapter of fagavya-MahTtmya  in SKH is 
Sti-gnfEdurd7 pradurbha-vah. Only the title of the chapter 
Page 5


 
FEMALE DEITIES  
The important female deities of Goa like, ..974teriL  
Sh7;ntadurga, BhrukaL  Kelbai L  Gajalakshmi, Mall -5. 1s - a - , and  
ra -mTkshi  are discussed in this chapter. Man started 
worshipping female deities from the upper palaeolithic 
period. 1  Many female deities have folk origins and they have 
regional variations. Different legends and traditions are 
associated with them. Some folk deities are absorbed in 
PurIngs but the assimilation of the folk deities into purgrais 
was gradual process. Puriin -gs are not restricted to the 
traditions of the Aryans only. Pur -SnWs absorbed Dravidian 
Austric as well as Mongoloid deities. 2  Thus the folk deities 
like STIteri, BhgUka  and MaliElsa  were sanskritised. The very 
large part of modern folk religion goes to the beginning of 
neolithic period. That was the beginning of cultivation and 
pastoralism. 
The concept of folk deities has been discussed by the 
eminent scholars and they have referred to them as loukika  
deva. 3  A new branch of Archaeology called Ethno-Archaeology  
specialises the field of folk deities. But in 1960's itself 
this approach was developed and the interpretations are 
published in Myth and Reality. 4  The folk-deities like SA ...Lori  
and BhTukr  are grIlnadevatrs  and they arc found in the most of 
the villages of Goa. The priests in the temples of folk- 
4 
fi 
deities like Bhrukli i.  Srteri and Veticla  were Gavdas. No 
Ganskrit Mantras  and complicated rituals are associated with 
the worship of these folk-deities. 5  
Sateri (Bhumik-S and Erg)  
The early farming communities all over India started 
showing increased interest in fertility and magical means of 
promoting it. These are found at folk level rites and 
festivals which are intimately associated with the changing 
seasons, the sowing and harvesting of crops and breeding 
cattle and other live-stock. The early cultivators realised 
that the earth is generous in giving bountiful crops for their 
subsistance. 6  This might have been responsible for the origin 
of Mother Goddess worship. If she is not worshipped she might 
get angry and take ferocious form namely that of goddess Kali  
and act as an instrument of destruction. ?  The Goddess of earth 
is not having the same name all over India. There are many 
regional variations and also numerous Grlima-devafrs  
representing mother earth and these are obviously meant for 
the particular village and act as the benefactor of the 
village. Therefore, the grala-devatiTs is the personification 
of female energy as represented by Mother Earth. 8  
The ant-hills symbolically represent mother earth and are 
made up of earth itself. In many regions such as Goa, Konkan 
Andhra and Karnataka, ant-hills are worshipped and these ant- 
hills have vorious names of goddesses either Renuk7, Maangi,  
Yellardri  and Joguambri.  In Tamilnadu the goddess connected with 
ant-hills is called Putturu.  In Tamil Putturu  means an ant-
hill. In Addivarya MaligOili temple, a large ant-hill is called 
Bhomadr  and is worshipped. 9  This word is derived from Bhoum 
whiCh means made of earth. Incidentally on the way to Ponda, 
beyond Bhanastari,  there is a village named Bhom.  This village 
has been named by the early settlers so as to had a huge ant-
bill and the ant-hill is being worshipped as S-ateri  and she is 
also called Bhumik2i  in Goa. The complete synthesis of Bhumik3  
is also indicated by the shrine of this goddess at Poriem in 
Sattari taluka which is called STriterichi Bhumika." 
The name of sage Jamadagni's wife is Renukh-  and she is 
also called YellammT. Some scholars are of the opinion that 
the reference to the folk-deity El - a-, in the inscription of 
Nundem in Sanguem taluka of Goa is the earliest references to 
Yellameg. 11  The worship of Ell7 Gouri is still current among 
Saraswats of Dakshina annada. 12  Renu means any particles and 
the ant-hills are made of particles of clay. Therefore, the 
goddess whose abode has been named Renukr. 13  The worship of 
the ant-hill is the worship of RenukT or Yellamma. Yellamma 
consists of two Dravidian words namely ells  means all and ammT 
means mother. Hence she is mother of al1. 14  Here again a 
personification is seen of female energy as represented by 
Om. 
mother earth. As per the tradition Renuka has been 
t- 
metamorphosed into one hundred and one shaktis  which have 
become the village goddesses. 15  
In south Konkan from Kudal to Sirasi in Uttar Kannada 
i.e. in the west coast belt the worship of ant-hills is 
prevalent." In the abode region the goddess who is worshipped 
in the form of ant-hill is called Sateri  According to Behre, 
Sateri is a Kannada word which is derived from sapta 
teri,Sapta-sevenieri-layer or wave in Kannada. It is believed 
that ant-hills are made of seven layers. 17  The people of West-
Coast speaking kbnkani an Indo-Aryan language borrowed kinnada 
word and coined the word S5teri which is a local deity of 
Konkan. However, Dhere explains the etymology of Kannada word 
Satta,  Sapta seven but satt word has different usage in 
Kannada which means "dying in shame". Therefore, the original 
word sat is associated with shame and nakedness. Ant-hill is 
considered as female reproductive organ. 18  
In the list of Gr- e- tmadevatas  furnished by Bopadeva, 
V-glmikini  is mentioned. lailmik means an ant-hill.19 Hence the 
deity whose abode is an ant-hill is named as Wilmikini.  For 
the religious rites in scriptures five sacred type of soils 
are mentioned and one of them is the soil from the ant-hill. 28  
Sh- A -ntWdurg- g   
The second chapter of fagavya-MahTtmya  in SKH is 
Sti-gnfEdurd7 pradurbha-vah. Only the title of the chapter 
10- 
mentions the goddess Sh-eintgdurer  and no where else this 
epithet of the goddess is mentioned. 21  This section refers to 
a sage called Shrintamuni  and he was a resident of N3gavypura 
(Nrgoa). The goddess appeared before Shrntamuni and hence she 
- 
may have been called Sh2nt- a -durga.  No other justification has 
been furnished in this chapter. It may be recalled that the 
inseparable character of Dura is her ferocious (Ultra)  nature 
and she is never peaceful. Therefore the adjective Sh"inta is 
4MO. 
contradictory to the nature of Durga. Only in vs. No.16, 19 34 
of SKH the goddess is called Sh - a-nt- a -devi and not as 
Shant7Idurga. 22  
The vs. No. 18 of this section mentions about the 
disappearance of the goddess into ant-hill. These ant-hills 
symbolically represent goddess Sh-gnt-idurig  as well as goddess 
STteri. The worship of ant-hills may have originated among 
Gavdas and they may have associated ant-hills with goddess 
Tateri. 23  Therefore the verses mentioned above furnish the 
evidence of Br-ghminisation  of the folk deity. The association 
of the goddess with ant-hill is found in other regions of 
South India and the reference to these are available in 
Dravidian gods in Modern Hinduism. Witangi 
 which is an epithet 
of P7rvati appeared to a king as a beautiful maiden and when 
he tried to capture her, she disappeared into an ant-hill. In 
another legend, the king Giri 12A-zu had only a male issue and 
had no daughter. Prrvati was pleased after his penance and