A kuladevata (Sanskrit: कुलदेवता, romanized: Kuladevatā, lit. 'clan deity'),[1] also known as a kuladai vaṃ (Tamil: குலதெய்வம்),[2] is an ancestral tutelary deity in Hinduism and Jainism.[3]
Such a deity is often the object of one's devotion (bhakti), and is coaxed to watch over one's clan (kula), gotra, family, and children from misfortune. This is distinct from an ishta-devata (personal tutelar) and a grāmadevatā (village deities).[4]
Male kuladevatas are sometimes referred to as a kuladeva, while their female counterparts are called a kuladevi.[5]
The word kuladevata is derived from two words: kula, meaning clan, and devata, meaning deity, referring to the ancestral deities that are worshipped by particular clans.[6]
The deity can be represented in a male or a female human, an animal, or even an object, like a holy stone. It is believed that rituals done at a kuladeva/kuladevi temple benefits all those genetically connected with the one performing the ritual.[citation needed] Kuladaivams of the Shaiva tradition are often considered to be forms of Shiva and Parvati, while those of the Vaishnava tradition are often regarded to be forms of Vishnu and Lakshmi.[7] Hindu families make a pilgrimage to the kuladevata or kuladevi temple to obtain the blessing of the deity after an auspicious occasion, such as a wedding. Kuladevatas are worshipped in several sects of Hinduism and Jainism.
Due to the veneration of holy men (babas) in several regions of the subcontinent, several communities consider such men to be their kuladevatas in the place of a deity.[8]
In western India, some communities regard local monarchs who belonged to their clan to be their kuladevata.[9]
The following is a non-exhaustive list of the various kuladevatas revered in different regions of the Indian subcontinent:
The kuldevata (Nepali: Kuldeuta कुलदेउता) in many hilly Nepalese families are often local deities worshipped by the people before the arrival of Hinduism in the region. For those of Khas descent, this is often the 12 Masto gods or one of the 9 Durga Bhawanis, which include:
Some of the Primary Kuladevatas of Uttar Pradesh include:
Some of the primary kuladevatas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana include:
Some of the primary kuladevatas of Karnataka include:[10]
Some of the primary kuladevatas of Tulu Nadu include:
Some of the primary kuladevatas of Kerala include:[11][12]
Some of the primary kuladevatas of Tamil Nadu include:
The kuladevatas worshipped in Maharashtra include:
The kuladevatas venerated in the Konkan region include:
The kuladevatas worshipped in Gujarat and Rajasthan include:[20]
Bihar
In Bihar, the following deities are worshipped as kuladevatas: bihar ke kuldevi kuldevta
Bihar me asthana kayastha jati ke kuldevi banni mata and durga mata hote he and kuldevta shiv ji he our pehredaar hanuman Ji he and jaha bhi Devi ki puja hoti he waha batuk bhairav ki puja karna jaruri hota hai ya kuldevi ke sath bhi batuk bhairav puja kare har kul me kuldevi ke sath kul bhairav hote kul bhairav shiv ke ansh hote hai ya kahi kahi par swayam shiv ji kulbhairv hote hai agar jinke ghar me kul bhairav na ho wo batuk bhairav ki puja jarur kare
Shrivastav ke kuldevi banni, mata and Kali mata ya fir durga mata Hoti he kuldevta sokha baba and hanuman ji and gaoriya baba hote he sokha baba swayam shiv ji ke ansh awatar he isliye us kul ke bhairav sokha hote he
In Bengal, the following deities are venerated as kuladevatas:
The following is a list of kuladevatas venerated in Sri Lanka:
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