Kecaikhati
Indian goddess / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kecaikhati ("eater of raw flesh") is a prominent goddess from Northeast India.[1] Her shrine is considered to be the Tamreswari Temple, near Paya in Arunachal Pradesh;[2] and she is referred to as Dikkaravasini in the 9th century Kalika Purana whose temple formed the eastern limit of Kamarupa.[3] But unlike Kamakhya and Kamakhya Temple, which acquired Brahmin priests and became associated with the legendary Narakasura and the historical Kamarupa kings,[4] Kecaikhati continued to remain outside the ambit of Brahminical influence and remained under the control of Deori priests during the time of the Chutia kingdom[5] and after up to the present time.[6]
Known as a particularly bloodthirsty goddess, Kecaikhati continued to receive human sacrifices during an annual festival and at calamitous times[7] well after the Ahoms took over the Chutia kingdom in 1523[8] till the Ahom king Suhitpangphaa (1780–1795) or Gaurinath Singha banned the practice.[9] Kecaikhati was the tutelary goddess of both the Chutia kingdom[10] as well as the Dimasa kingdom.[11] and the Ahom kingdom accorded the Deori priests special respect.[12]