Kateri Amman

Kateri Amman (Tamil: காட்டேரி அம்மன்), also abbreviated to Kateri Maa, is a Hindu goddess. Her worship originates in the Dravidian folk religion, that is classified under Saivism. Kateri Amman is often considered a fierce and protective form of the Divine Mother.she is highly revered in Dravidian traditions, especially among people seeking protection from supernatural dangers. In some beliefs, she is associated with Kali or Durga due to her fierce nature.

Kateri Amman under bayan tree

Kateri Amman

Katteri Amman
Venerated in	Dravidian folk religion
Affiliation	Parvati
Weapon	Sword, Trishula, Aruval
Mount	Horse,Lion
Gender	Female
Consort	Shiva
Offspring	Munishvaran

In Tamil Nadu, she is often regarded as a form of Parvati, who acts as a guardian deity of a given town.^[1] Some of her adherents also regard her to be a form of Mahadevi, tasked with the responsibility of destroying sicknesses during the Kali Yuga.^[2] The goddess is often depicted with guard deities, Munishvaran,Madurai Veeran,Karupan,Sudalai madan.^[3]

Legend

According to Hindu mythology, Shiva once spotted his consort, Parvati, leave their bed in the middle of the night, and return only before sunrise. When he questioned her regarding this, his wife was puzzled, and informed him that she had not left his side all night. When Shiva observed this happening once more, he proceeded to follow her from Kailasa to a forest, and witnessed that she had assumed the terrible form of Kali, digging up corpses, with the intention of consuming them. Determined to stop her, he dug a hole in the forest path. When Kali fell within the hole and saw Shiva, she was filled with remorse for her actions, and promised Shiva that she would end this morbid pursuit. She also told Shiva that she would leave behind her terrible form within the hole, and return to him as a dutiful wife. The shakti that was left behind would become her form of Kateri Maa (काटेरी माता), a benevolent goddess who destroys sicknesses, and shields her adherents.

However, the goddess is sometimes also identified with malevolent aspects, according to the folklore of certain communities. According to Tamil folklore, for instance, Kateri Amman's origin is traced back to a curse laid upon her by Shiva, which causes her to roam amid the forests, preying on pregnant women if she is not worshipped. Kateri is also portrayed to be violent and witch-like for this reason, associated with rituals that involve blood and spiritual possession.^[4] She is portrayed to be an entity who protects children and she is often depicted as a fierce deity, protecting people from evil spirits, witchcraft, and disease.

Iconography

Kateri is often depicted in many forms. is represented to be either dark blue or black. She is seen either holding a aruval, bowl, trishula, or a staff^[5]

Worship

Kateri Amman is worshipped in the villages of South India and Sri Lanka by the warriors community. She is also venerated by the Telugu diaspora,Tamil people in other places including Trinidad, Guyana, Jamaica, Mauritius and South Africa. Her offerings include neem leaves, limes, and flowers. Some devotees make clay figurines of guardian deities and float them in rivers or ponds,Hole Space for Animal sacrifices using chickens and dried fish with rice meal offertory ,(Pongal) Sweet Rice ,Flour lamp are also common amongst her worshippers. She is considered as a kuladaivaṃ,Protecting from Black magic (Witchcraft), diseases,spirit Tragedy And worship for victory in war.^[6]

References

1. McDermott, Rachel Fell; Kripal, Jeffrey John; Kripal, Vira I. Heinz Associate Professor of Religion Jeffrey J. (2003). Encountering Kālī: In the Margins, at the Center, in the West. University of California Press. p. 236. ISBN 978-0-520-23239-6.
2. "Kateri Amman | PDF | Feminist Spirituality | Hindu Theology". Scribd. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
3. Division, India Census (1967). Madras. Office of the Registrar General. p. 86.
4. Shulman, David Dean; Shulman, Professor Department of Indian Studies David; Thiagarajan, Deborah (2006). Masked Ritual and Performance in South India: Dance, Healing, and Possession. Centers for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Michigan. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-89148-088-4.
5. லட்சுமணன்.ஜி. "எந்த அம்மனை வணங்கினால் என்ன பிரச்னைகள் தீரும்? #PhotoStory". vikatan.com/ (in Tamil). Retrieved 2022-02-13.
6. காட்டேரி அம்மனை வழிபடுவதால் ஏற்படும் நன்மைகள் | Significance Of kateri Amman Temple| AadhanAanmeegam, retrieved 2022-02-13