Animal Gods:Temples with Bizzare Deities in India

India is a strange country in the world rich in vast and different religious beliefs filled with mysticism. Hinduism is the religion practiced by the majority of Indian people. Their relationship with animals is so fascinating that they believe in the presence of God inside every living being. This relationship with other living beings and occult practice connected with the Hindu religion resulted in the emergence of some bizarre deities. People actually started building temples and worshipped them.

Read about 10 strange Animal Gods in India having temples and thousands of devotees.

10 Urumbachan, Ant God of Kannur, Kerala

Ants, like bees, are a symbol of hard work and is one among the most abundant insects in nature. Big things they do in large numbers to preserve the ecosystem compensates for their small size. Ever wondered giving the recognition and respect these ants deserved for doing this commendable job? For knowing this, one should go to the temple named ‘Urumbachan Kottam’ or in other words ‘Temple of Ants’ in Kannur District of Kerala State. (1) This weird temple is home to thousands of ants where they are worshipped as Gods. Though there is no idol, people believe in the presence of “Urumbachan” or “Father Ant”. (2) Though the term "achan" means "father" in the literal meaning, it actually denotes "God" or supreme being.

According to local legend, the actual plan was to construct a temple for Lord Ganesha in the place of the present temple. The stick fixed by the architect to mark the place to build the temple disappeared the next morning. An anthill was seen at the place where the stick was fixed. The locals considered this as the wish of Gods and constructed a circular platform around the anthill to protect the ants. (2)

From that time ants are worshipped here as Gods by the people believing that they will get rid of ants from their home. ‘Urumbachan Kottam’ is believed to be the only temple, where ants are worshipped. People offer coconut water and other food items here as part of their worship and offer prayers. With this offering, the people really got rid of ants from their houses. (2) It is not surprising, considering the meal they get in the temple from people. In fact, the ants did not get time to invade people’s houses after finishing such a wonderful diet. Many reports suggest that worship of anthill also is an ancient cult surviving in many parts of India. (3)

9 Nandi, the Bull Lord of Bengaluru

Bengaluru District, of Karnataka State, is known as the Information Technology capital of the country. The district is also famous for a temple Basavana Gudi temple dedicated to ‘Nandi’ (A Bull- Lord Shiva’s vehicle). In the local language “Basava” means “Nandi” and “Gudi” means "temple". The idol of “Nandi” in the temple is almost 15 feet high and 20 feet long. (4)

There is also a strange story behind worshipping Bull in this temple. Legend says that once a huge bull grazed the groundnut farm of a farmer and he clubbed the bull, in anger. The angry bull, sat down in the groundnut field and turned into a stone and started growing in size. Repenting farmers prayed Lord Shiva, who advised them to place a trident on the bull’s forehead. After doing this, the bull stopped growing further. (5)

Later people started to worship the Bull-Lord and offered prayers. In the memory of the legend connected with the temple, believers conduct groundnut festivals every year and offer prayers. (6)

8 Bekku, the cat goddess

Many Indians, particularly Hindus, believe that the cat is a bad omen and not to be considered a pet. However, people in Bekkalale village of Karnataka State has a fascinating relationship with cats. For them, a cat is God. The village Bekkalale itself is believed to have got its name from the cat, where ‘Bekku’ is called ‘cat’ in the local language, Kannada. Presently, Bekkalale village has three cat temples. (7)

The practice of worshipping cats is said to have started more than 1000 years ago. Legend says that once ‘Mangamma’, the main deity of local people, entered this village in the form of a cat and protected them from all evils. From that time, the villagers pay respect to the felines.

Even if a cat steals food from the house, no villager can harm it and whoever harms the cat in the village will not be spared. Those who found harming a cat will be thrashed and thrown out of the village. So fascinating bond indeed.

7 Cows and Bulls in Sri Thambiran Maatu Thozhu, Tamil Nadu

Ever wondered what use for us of a cow not giving milk and a bull not doing work and which we cannot eat. Then we can make it a deity and worship it. ‘Sri Thambiran Maatu Thozhu’ temple in Cumbum town of Theni District, Tamil Nadu has a peculiarity. This is a temple where live Cows and Bulls are the only deities. (8)

Farmers who have a cow or bull born on the second day of Thai month (a Tamil month) are offered to the temple and they are later believed and worshipped as deities. People believe that a cow or bull born at this time has a divinity. They never collect milk from these cows nor put the bulls at work. They feed them throughout the year.

They believe that cows and bulls born on the second auspicious day of ‘Thai’ month bring luck to their family. They decorate these animals with ornaments and clothes. Even after death, these animals are treated as heavenly creatures. They are also buried royally after their death. Lucky animals indeed!

6 Dog-God of Channapatna

A dog is considered the most faithful pet of humans. People of Channapatna town in Ramnagara District of Karnataka has actually paid respect to the faithfulness of dogs. Here locates the most unusual temple where a Dog and is actually worshipped as God. They built a temple for Dog. (9) This temple is situated next to the temple of the village deity. People believe that the ‘dog-God’ possesses great power and along with the village deity can stop wrong-doings. (10)

In Kerala State of South India, there is a similar legend regarding dogs. In ‘Parassinikadavu Sri Muthappan’ Temple in Kannur District of Kerala State, dogs are protected by believers. (11) According to them, Dog is the vehicle of Sri Muthappan (a personification of two Gods: Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva)

5 Monkey Gods of Galtaji, Rajasthan

In his book, ‘The Descent of Man’, Charles Darwin said that human beings and monkeys have a common ancestor. There is no wonder why Indians have such a close bond with monkeys. Lord Hanuman whom they worship as God is a huge monkey and has temples built in his name. Temple for monkeys is found in several places in the world.

However, Ramgopalji Temple (locally called Monkey Temple) situated in the ancient pilgrimage site ‘Galtaji’ in Rajasthan State in India is famous for live monkeys. (12) (13) A large group of monkeys lives at the temple where they are protected as descendants of Lord Hanuman. At the temple, they are given a privileged status. There are close to 5,000 monkeys that stay in the temple campus. (14)

Monkeys are sacred to Hinduism as Lord Hanuman had helped Lord Rama defeat Ravana as per the epic Ramayan.

4 Divine Rats of Karni Mata, Rajasthan

Do you hate rats? Then the Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan is not the place to visit on your tour. Know why?-You’ll find several rats running across your feet here for this Temple in Rajasthan State is one of the weirdest attractions of the State. In the early 1900s Maharaja Ganga Singh constructed this Hindu Temple as a tribute to the rat goddess Karni Mata. It is home to thousands of rats which are considered sacred and are being devoted. Here, rats are fed and worshipped by the devotees and are protected by temple people. Moreover, they are treated as family members. (15)

Measures have been put in place to protect the rats by building nets and grills to keep out dangerous predators. As per reports, there are about 20,000 rats living here. There are a few white rats among the thousands which are considered especially holy. Visitors offer sweets, milk, and other food to them, children play with them. The food nibbled by a rat is considered holy and a devotee may eat it. (16)

According to folklore, once all children were born as rats. Another story is that rats used to be the soldiers of ‘Karni Mata’, the deity in the temple. Hence they are worshipped alongside the deity. People here also believe in another story that ‘Karni Mata’ who is a personification of Goddess Durga once granted a boon that all her family members will never die and will be reborn as rats.

While visiting the temple you should never run over a rat, as killing one even without intent is considered a sin. Then the sinner will be ordered to buy a gold or silver rat statue and offer it to the temple. It is also considered highly auspicious to have a rat run across your feet. (17)

3 Rooster Goddess

‘Pazhayannur Bhagavathy’ temple situated in Thrissur District of Kerala State is home to many roosters. As per the folklore, when a group attacked the temple, the goddess appeared in the forms of thousands of roosters to save it. These roosters assaulted the attackers and won a victory over them. (18)

People here offer roosters to the temple and feed them. (19) They believe that doing this is a good thing which will keep away evil and destroy enemies.

Apart from this, the rooster has other connections with God in Hindu mythology. Lord Kartikeya’s flag has a rooster painted on it. (20) Moreover, the transgenders of Gujarat State worship a goddess named ‘Bahuchara Devi’ who rides on a colorful rooster. The legend of Bahuchara Devi temple is also similar to Pazhayannur Bhagavathy temple.

2 Serpent Gods of Mannarassala Temple

The ‘Mannarassala’ temple situated in Alappuzha District of Kerala The state is a grand abode to many serpents. Here devotees believe in the miraculous power of serpents. If one’s lucky, he may see a snake on the steps of the gatehouse, on the hedgerows and among the creepers. (21)

There is deep-rooted folklore in the hearts of local people in connection with snake worship and Mannarassala temple. Legend says that Lord Parasurama, the creator of Kerala wanted Brahmins to live there. But the infestation of snakes in Kerala scared them away. Then Parasurama prayed to Serpent King Vasuki who advised him to place idols of snakes in a separate place and worship them. Thus Parasurama built this place and asked the people of Kerala to worship snakes for the boons of progeny, wealth and prosperity. (22)

Nowadays, many childless couples reach every year to seek blessings to have a child and for wealth and prosperity. (23) As people protect and preserve many groves in the name of these sacred serpents, these creepy creatures really perform the duty of God of preserving nature and the ecosystem.

1 Spider-God, Kodumon

Getting overloaded with spider-smitten superhero’s stories! Well, here’s the story of the original spider-the Spider-God of Kodumon. The ‘Palliyara Sree Bhagavathi’ temple situated in Kodumon in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala State is renowned to the devotees as "Chilanthi Ambalam" (in local language Malayalam word “Chilanthi” is for spider and “Ambalam” is for Temple). (24)

Spiders are represented as supreme creatures in many mythologies around the world. Ancient Vedic philosophy suggests that a spider wove the veil of illusion that conceals the supreme reality. (25)

This place of worship is especially for those ailing and suffering from spider poison or toxins. (24) This temple is believed to be one of its kind in India and thousands of devotees visit the temple daily to get divine healing from these eight-legged creatures.

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Footnotes

(1) https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/temple-of-ants-in-kerala-urumbachan-kottam-003140.html
(2) https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/A-temple-for-the-humble-ant/articleshow/39969373.cms
(3) https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/462905?journalCode=hr
(4) http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2017/may/31/sacred-bull-watches-over-silicon-city-1611379--1.html
(5)http://www.indianmirror.com/temples/bull-temple.html
(6) http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/it-is-raining-groundnuts-in-and-around-bull-temple-road/article20369379.ece
(7) https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysuru/in-this-village-in-mandya-cats-are-worshipped-as-gods/articleshow/61554481.cms
(8) http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/A-temple-where-bulls-and-cows-alone-are-worshipped/article17040743.ece
(9) https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/most-unusual-temples-in-india-280922-2015-07-06
(10) https://www.oneindia.com/2010/04/10/people-build-a-temple-for-dog-in-karnataka.html
(11) https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/parassinikadavu-muthappan-temple/196
(12) http://tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/jaipur.html
(13) http://natgeotv.com/asia/monkey-thieves/about
(14) http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/travel/hidden-in-the-hills/article5149910.ece
(15) http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/animal-underworld/videos/rat-temple/
(16) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3361219/Inside-Indian-temple-dedicated-Hindu-goddess-Karni-Mata-run-20-000-large-RATS-scurry-feet-visitors-worshipped.html
(17) https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/around-bikaner/attractions/karni-mata-temple/a/poi-sig/1149000/1341337
(18) https://www.tripoto.com/trip/pazhayannur-bhagavathy-temple-kerala-56752f7b1407f
(19) https://www.oneindia.com/2007/02/04/devi-temple-protects-roosters-1170581834.html
(20) https://books.google.co.in/books?id=hoBDDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT26&dq=rooster+kartikeya&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi8hKSjg9LZAhVMybwKHeKjBgUQ6AEILjAB#v=onepage&q=rooster%20kartikeya&f=false
(21) http://www.mannarasala.org/dynamic.php?page=mannarasalaLegends
(22) https://books.google.co.in/books?id=cm42DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT19&dq=mannarasala+serpent+temple&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiT09qGidLZAhVEe7wKHX8EA7gQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=mannarasala%20serpent%20temple&f=false
(23) http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/Mannarasala-temple-festival-on-Oct.-24/article16069679.ece
(24) https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/kodumon-chilanthiyambalam/291
(25)https://books.google.co.in/books?id=bci_AQAAQBAJ&pg=PA50&dq=vedic+philosophy+spider&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifv-ecjdLZAhXJVbwKHU78CCIQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=vedic%20philosophy%20spider&f=false