DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0230
218 Worship of Ayenar.
Ganapati, Ucchishta-Ganapati (also called Heramba), Nava-
nlta-Ganapati, Svarna-Ganapati, and Santana-Ganapati \
Worship of Ayenar.
Closely allied to the worship of Ganesa and Skanda (Su-
brahmanya), and generally to Saivism, is the worship of
Ayenar; a village-god very popular in the extreme Sjuth
of India, but little known in other parts. One distinction,
however, may be noticed between the worship of Ayenar
and that of Siva's two sons. He is never asked for any
positive good. He only protects from harm, and his wor-
ship consists solely in propitiation. His name Ayenar is
said to be a corruption of Hari-hara (= Vishnu and Siva,
see p. 65), and he is believed to be the son of both these
deities; that is, he is the product of the marriage of Siva
and Vishnu when the latter took the form of a beautiful'
woman. He is popularly called Ayenar-appan2, and some-
times has another name, Sasta, ' the ruler or governor.'
Like Ganesa and Skanda, the popular deity Ayenar is a
lord and leader of the demon-host, and his province is to
guard the fields, crops, and herds of the peasantry, and drive
away their enemies the devils and fiends, who are ever on the
watch to inflict disease, blight, and other calamities. Accord-
ingly, outside every village in Southern India, and generally
among a group of trees to the west of the village, may be
seen the shrines of Ayenar, surrounded with rude clay or
1 Dhunijhi-raja, said to mean 'king of Siva's hosts,' is another popular
form of Ganesa at Benares. I noticed numerous worshippers at his
shrine, as well as at that of another shrine of the same god in his
character of Sakshin or witness. In this latter character he is usually
called Sakshi-Vinayaka (vulgarly Sakhi-Vinayaka). Every pilgrim who
has been the round of the shrines in the Pancakosi of Benares must
finish up by a visit to Ganesa, ' the witness,' who then bears testimony to
the completeness of the difficult task he has accomplished.
2 Appan is the Tamil for ' father,' as Amman is for ' mother.'
Ganapati, Ucchishta-Ganapati (also called Heramba), Nava-
nlta-Ganapati, Svarna-Ganapati, and Santana-Ganapati \
Worship of Ayenar.
Closely allied to the worship of Ganesa and Skanda (Su-
brahmanya), and generally to Saivism, is the worship of
Ayenar; a village-god very popular in the extreme Sjuth
of India, but little known in other parts. One distinction,
however, may be noticed between the worship of Ayenar
and that of Siva's two sons. He is never asked for any
positive good. He only protects from harm, and his wor-
ship consists solely in propitiation. His name Ayenar is
said to be a corruption of Hari-hara (= Vishnu and Siva,
see p. 65), and he is believed to be the son of both these
deities; that is, he is the product of the marriage of Siva
and Vishnu when the latter took the form of a beautiful'
woman. He is popularly called Ayenar-appan2, and some-
times has another name, Sasta, ' the ruler or governor.'
Like Ganesa and Skanda, the popular deity Ayenar is a
lord and leader of the demon-host, and his province is to
guard the fields, crops, and herds of the peasantry, and drive
away their enemies the devils and fiends, who are ever on the
watch to inflict disease, blight, and other calamities. Accord-
ingly, outside every village in Southern India, and generally
among a group of trees to the west of the village, may be
seen the shrines of Ayenar, surrounded with rude clay or
1 Dhunijhi-raja, said to mean 'king of Siva's hosts,' is another popular
form of Ganesa at Benares. I noticed numerous worshippers at his
shrine, as well as at that of another shrine of the same god in his
character of Sakshin or witness. In this latter character he is usually
called Sakshi-Vinayaka (vulgarly Sakhi-Vinayaka). Every pilgrim who
has been the round of the shrines in the Pancakosi of Benares must
finish up by a visit to Ganesa, ' the witness,' who then bears testimony to
the completeness of the difficult task he has accomplished.
2 Appan is the Tamil for ' father,' as Amman is for ' mother.'