Bhagavathi

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Bhagavathi is the main goddess of Malayali Hindus. The name Bhagavathi is supposed to be the general name coined by Tantrik Buddhists to all the mother goddesses in this region. She is equated with Kali. The term might have been envisaged as "Bhagavath" was one of Buddha's names. These Tantrik Buddhists were believed to have become part of Shaiva cults like Natha Pantha and later merged with Vedics(See Kadri Manjunath Temple).