| Angala Parameshwari | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Parvati |
| Abode | Malaiyanoor |
| Mantra | Om Shakthi |
| Weapon | sword and kabala |
| Consort | Shiva |
| Mount | Eagle |
Angalaamman is a name given to the village deity Angala Parameshwari. However, Ankalamma is a non-Vedic deity and, like so many popular [[Tamil people|Tamil] deities, she seems to have originated in a fierce guardian figure. In the rituals dedicated to her she is appeased with blood. Ankalamma's shrines are usually located outside of the village in groves of trees. They are usually not proper temples, but very simple stone structures. She is one of the fiercest forms of the mother Goddess Amman, and is worshipped by the Indians, especially by the South Indians.
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Once upon a time, the goddess Shakthi gave birth to a girl named "Dhakshayani" after her father, king "Dakshan" who was immortally a son of Lord Brahma. Dhakshayani loved Lord Shiva, for which her father criticized her, saying she should not marry him as he stayed with the demons and snakes in the graveyard. Lord Shiva came to the Daksha's garden where Dhakshayani was picking flowers for Shiv pooja, and asked her to come with him to the Kailayam (The Himalayas) on the bull named "Nandhi". Dhakshan was very angry with Shiva, so he tried to insult Lord Shiva by making an Yagna by inviting all Gods, Devas, and Rishies, but not Lord Shiva.
The Yagna started and all the gods, devas and rishis went to the yagna. Dhakshayani Devi was very much vexed by her father's action. She asked her husband for permission to attend that yagna to ask her father why he ignored her husband (Dhakshan's Son-in-Law) and why he is doing this yagna without the Lord Shiva. The Lord advised her not to go there but Dhakshayani argued, and the Lord with utmost anger said "GO" to Dhakshayani and she went. However, Daksha even criticised the Lord Shiva among all the invitees who came to that yagna. Dhakshayani realized that her husband asked not to go there, but she came there without obeying her husband. She felt guilty and cursed her father saying that your yagna will be destroyed, and she jumped onto the fire in the yagna.
This news is brought to the Lord Shiva by the saint Naratha. Upon hearing this the Lord danced an angry dance, "Ruthra Thandavam"; his sweat fell to earth, forming Lord Veerabhadra and Pidari BhadraKali, and these two danced with the Lord Shiva. Then the Lord ordered Veerabhadra and Bhadrakali to kill Dhaksha and destroy the yagna. Meanwhile, the Lord Shiva took the burnt body of Dhakshayani and danced fiercely; as he danced Dhakshayni's body disintegrated, falling throughout India to create Shakti Peethas. Where the right hand fell in Tamil Nadu is a place called Thandakarunyam, later called Melmalaiyanoor. The right hand that fell there is protected by a long snake by making a snake hive till now that snake hives sand is given as prasada On obeying his commands Lord Veerbhadra and Bhadrakali maa destroyed the yagna the Devas and Rishies and the Gods went away from there in fear and finally Lord Veerabhadra killed Daksha by slaying his head and all Gods asked to give life to Daksha, so Lord Veerabhadra slayed the head of a goat which was kept for the sacrifice for the yagna and put its head on Dakshas body and gave him life. The Daksha, with the goat's head, asked for forgiveness from Lord Veerabhadra and the Lord Shiva and then the Lord Veerabhadra went with Daksha to the place full of Betal leaves(Vetrilai kaadu) now called Anumanthapuram and stayed there and giving boons to the people who worship him. Goddess Pidari Bhadrakali also came to Anumanthapuram and stayed there near a lake in that village till now the people who where caught by a evil ghost go to that temple and get relief from evil ghosts.
Once Shakthi rebirth as Parvati, Brahma performed a yaga to save god men from two demons known as sandobi and sundaran. Through this yagna thilothama as apsaras came to life.Attracted by the beauty of Thilothama not only demons but Brahma also followed her. For her protection She went to kailash where Brahma also followed. As Brahma also was with five heads, Parvathi mistook him for Shiva and felt at his feet. When Parvathi realized the truth, she was very angry and prayed Shiva that fifth head of Brahma should be destroyed. So Shiva as "Rudra" slayed down one head of Brahma so Brahma now with four heads cursed Shiva that his fifth head must attached to his hand itself and here after Shiva must be affected having hunger,having no sleep so Shiva came to earth and roamed everywhere and when he was hungry he begged and eat but half of the food he begged was eaten by the fifth head of Brahma that is the "Kabala" so Shiva roamed in every graveyard and slept in ashes and that form of Shiva is worhipped as Sudalaimadan in south India.
Parvati went to her brother Lord Vishnu and asked a relief for her husband so Lord Vishnu said to Parvati" My dear sister go to thandakarunyam graveyard with your husband and make a pond there named "Agni kula theertham" and prepare a tasty food made by Agathi keerai (Humming bird tree leaves) and blood of chicken and serve that food to kabala and then throw the food everywhere in the graveyard, the kabala will come down leaving Shiva's hand to eat the food in that time take your husband to the pond and clean him with that water so that it will not catch your husbands hand " Parvati done what his brother has told she took her husband to thandakarunyam graveyard and prepared the food , served it to the kabala and then throw it in graveyard the kabala came down from Shiva's hand in the meanwhile Parvati took her husband to the pond and cleaned him and the kabala searched for Shiva's hand but it cannot touch him so it attached to Parvati's hand so Parvati forget about and danced and she recognised what had happened and become big and destroyed the kabala with her right leg.
The fearest form (Angara rubam or Agora rubam) which destroyed the kabala gets separated from Parvati is called Angalaamman Parvati said to Angalaamman to stay there itself and give boon to the people who worship her and she went to Kailayam but Shiva was not there. Shiva got relief from Brahma's curse but he was too hungry so he went Kasi and there Parvati incarnated as "Annapoorani Devi" served him food and shiva ate and get relief from hungry.
In the Thandakarunyam Angalaamman give boon to the people who worship her the people who had diseases went there and get relief from the diseases she drive away the evil ghosts from the people and people go there and worship her in new moon days (Amavasya) at the midnight of every new moon day Angalamman is decorated and put on a swing (Amavasai Oonjal).
This was a main function celebrated for Angalamman.The major function celebrated for her is the "Mayana Kollai" celebrated in the Tamil month of Maasi that means in the English month of February and March. It consists of Animal sacrifice of goats and chickens for her. The functions falls on a new moon day of the Tamil month Maasi (Maasi Amavasya)and the day before the new moon day is Maha sivaratri which is a main function contributed for Lord Shiva.In Malaiyanoor it is celebrated for ten days and Angalaamman was decorated in different forms and she was taken in chariot in the streets of Malaiyanoor.