INTRODUCTION :
Kula Devata also known as Kuladeva or Kuladevi is a hereditary deity, also called as Family deity in Hinduism, and they would prosper the life of their sincere devotees, and gives all kinds of goodness in their lives. Kula Devata is different from our Ishta-devata, beloved deity, Kaval Devata, guardian deity, and Gramadevata, village deity.
Kuladevata would save the entire family of their devotees, from floods, earth quakes, storms and from other natural Calamities. Kuladevata is worshipped by the people, based on their belief, and the Kuladevata deity can be of male or female, and devotees would travel to the Kuladevata or Kuladevi temple, especially during festival days, at least once in a year, in order to obtain the blessings of the deity.
Kuladevatas are worshiped by the people belonging to Hinduism. In North India, the Kuladevatas are worshipped as the incarnations of Mata Parvati and Lord Shiva, and the deities are called by different names. Snake gods and goddesses are also worshipped as the Kuladevata, by some sects of people. Lord Venkateswara is also worshipped as Kula Deva by most of the Telugu community people, as well as by the Madhwa community people, and Madhwas considers Guru Raghavendra as their next Kuladeva and worship him as their holy guru.
In Kerala, Lord Ayyappan, Mata Bhagavati and Lord Guruvayurappan is worshipped by most of the Hindu Malayalee people as their Ishta Devata.
In Andhra Pradesh, Mata Kanyakaparameshwari and Kanaka Durgamma are worshipped by the devotees as their Ishta Devatas, and for some sects of Telugu people, they are their Kula Devatas.
In Tamil Nadu, Mata Kamakshi, Renukamba, Angala Parameswari, Ayyanar, Muneeswaran and Lord Muruga are the family deities for most of the Hindus.
Similar to giving respects to our parents and to our grand-parents, we have to give more respects to our Kula Devata, and we must have to worship them at their temples, by taking all of our family members to the temple, and must perform Abhishekham to our Holy Kula Devata.
“OM”
SENT BY
R.HARISHANKAR
