Victims Turned Deities: The Case of Tamil Dalit Deity

It is true but not recognised that there are folk traditions in India which carry stories of the spirits of the murdered victims avenging and demanding atonement in the form of blood sacrifice. Some of them have become cult figures and have their shrines. The following story comes from Tamil Nadu, India.

Chellāyee is a goddess attached to the village Vdapaḷañji in Madurai District. Her shrine is among many shrines (of Māri, Manthai, Aiyaṉār, Muṉyāṇdi, Karuppasāmī, Rakkācchi, Chapāni and Muthiah). The shrine of Chellāyee is maintained by the paraiahs, a Dalit sub-group. According to one story, when a theatrical troupe from this village was away in other villages, Chellāyee (probably in the form of an icon) was bought for a pittance and brought to the village. Another yet more interesting story is that in a Ramnad village one Chellan, a Dalit scavenger, came into contact with a caste girl, and despite warning from her parents their love continued. When pressure reached a peak she committed suicide. While Chellan was burning the corpse in a burning yard, the girl appeared in a flame and advised him to run away from the village for his life to an unknown place and she would protect and guide him. He fled and went to a village called Nagamalai Pudukkottai and stayed there. Then instructed by her in a dream Chellan moved to Vdapaḷañji, made a statue of Chellāyee, built a shrine and started to worship her. People of all castes came to worship, though only Chellan’s descendants have been the priests who offer prayers with simple rituals. On Tuesdays and Fridays there is the lighting of an oil lamp and distribution of sacred ashes. Those fulfilling their vows sacrifice goats and cook in front of the shrine. There have been tensions over the appropriateness of Dalits being priests though in the annual festival (Sept-Oct) of eight days all participate in the celebrations. There is no need of donations as expenses are met from the income of the shrine lands. The scavengers clear the ground and decorations are made using the local materials including the hay of sugar plants. During the eight days the priest and trance-dancers of the Chellāyee shrine as well as the priests of the other shrines in the village remain in fasting. Every day a particular programme is arranged. Women dance while taking saplings around the shrine. Only on the final day people bring goats, cocks, etc., as vowed, sacrifice them and cook together. When the celebrations are blocked by caste-conflicts people worship their family gods.[1] Reopening would entail clearing the grounds, corporate cooking and celebration.

The typical message of such cults is, ‘Do not kill innocent victims, or else you have to pay the cost of worshipping them with sacrifice and memorial celebrations’

(The above story is taken from the author’s forthcoming book, The Hindu Religious Traditions: A Comprehensive Introduction).


Israel Selvanayagam


[1] See ibid., 159-176.

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