In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Grāmadevatā (ग्रामदेवता).—India is predominantly a rural country with a number of villages, and the rural folk depend mainly upon agriculture for living. Agricultural land, rain and epidemics which affect them as well as their cattle—these are the main concern of the villagers. Indians, from very ancient days, used to believe that each of the above has its own presiding devatās. Such devatās are the grāmadevatās.

Devī is the chief grāmadevatā of South India. Devī is called Durgā and Kālī also. But, Devī is worshipped in sixtyfour different forms or aspects. The gentle Devī, viz. in her gentle aspect or attitude has three forms, Kanyā, Kāmākṣī, and Mūkāmbikā. In Kerala Devī is called Bhagavatī also. Valiyaṅgāḍi Bhagavatī of Calicut is Lakṣmīdevī. Kālī temples in Karṇāṭaka are called 'Koṭṭāpuraṃ Lakṣmī Kṣetras'. There are such temples in Andhra also. Most of them are Jokulāmbikā temples. In Tamil Nadu there are grāmadevatās called Mariyamma, Kālīyamma, and Draupadīyamma. Not the Draupadī mentioned in the Mahābhārata; but the Kaṇṇakī of Cilappadikāra is the Devī worshipped in Tamil Nadu. (See full article at Story of Grāmadevatā from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: eScholarship: The descent of scripture: a history of the Kamikagama (vastu)

Grāmadevatā (ग्रामदेवता) refers to the “divinities in villages (and other settlements)”, according to the Kāmikāgama: an ancient Śaiva Āgama scripture in 12,000 Sanskrit verses dating to at least the 5th century and represented as an encyclopedic account of ritual instructions (kriyāpāda).—In modern print editions, the Kāmika-āgama is structured in two major parts. The Pūrvabhāga consists of 75 chapters (paṭalas) [...] Chapters 9 to 34 present a general account of the principles and preliminary rites for the construction of temples, houses, buildings, and settlements. [...] In Chapter 24, layouts are presented of different constructions and settlements. Chapter 25 outlines the dimensions of streets and doors. In Chapter 26, the placement of various divinities in villages and other settlements (grāmādidevatāsthāna) is explained.

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Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Google Books: Genealogy of the South Indian Deities

Grāmadevatā are such gods and goddesses who guard the fields, cities, hamlets and villages in such a way that demons and dangerous giants cannot injure human beings. The South Indians worship them not for any other reason, but only to be protected from evil. Their temples are everywhere and annual festivals are celebrated in their honor. Living animals such as pigs, goats and cocks are offered to them. They are believed to have previously been in great bliss; because of their pride they are supposed to have been cursed by Śiva and are banished to this earth to be with the demons, over whom they rule over as kings and queens.

India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Grāma-devatā.—(EI 3; SII 2), a village divinity; cf. grāma- deva. Note: grāma-devatā is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

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The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Grāmadevatā (ग्रामदेवता).—the tutelary deity of a village.

Grāmadevatā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms grāma and devatā (देवता).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Grāmadevatā (ग्रामदेवता):—[=grāma-devatā] [from grāma] f. the tutelar deity of a village, [Cāṇakya]

2) [v.s. ...] ([Religious Thought and Life in India p.209.])

[Sanskrit to German]

Gramadevata in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Nepali dictionary

Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary

Grāmadevatā (ग्रामदेवता):—n. village deity; local god;

context information

Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.

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