Village deities of Tamil Nadu

Village deities are the patron deities or grama devata of village. They that do not belong to the vedic - Agamic pantheon of Hinduism are found in almost all villages throughout India, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in particular. They are known as Kaval deivam or guardian spirits in Tamil and Kula Daivam or Local Village Gods. They are associated to a main deity who is generally ascribed as Kuladeivam by various sects of community and clan groups as part of the tracing their generation through centuries.

Most of these village deities have their shrines on the periphery (border or outskirts) of the village as a representation of their Village Guardian position. Hence they are referred as "Peripheral Folk Deity". 21 associate deities and 61 servant deities are located in either the same premises or located in different places of the locality, for e.g.: Amman deities may be installed in the centre of the village but the Sonai, Sudalai or the Formless Nadukkal deities may be installed close to graveyards (cemeteries or burial and sometimes, also near memorial centres).

These Village deities are either represented in the form of a huge, fierce statue or as a simple stone. Most of these temples are not closed premises but are simple and small worship areas. Weapons such as a trident or a lance or sickles are also associated with these shrines.

We also see lots of terracotta horses, elephants, clay dolls and birds and bells (very similar to Indus Culture). Most officiating priests are pandarams and derive from the local ancestral lineages that had initiated the religious centres generations ago. In ancient times most of the City priests were pandarams.

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