Impact of Stambheswari on Other Cultures
Stambheswari is one of the best examples of a tribal deity, which after having undergone the process of Hinduisation has influenced other folk religious beliefs and tradition. Baadi Puja or worship of stick24 by the Dumala Community25 (Eschmann 1978:271) of Boud- Rairakhol and Sonepur region, the Bada Jangha (large thigh) worship of the Gonds, in which they worship a long wooden log representing the thigh of their deity Bada Jangha Deo and the Danda worship during Danda Yatra, in which Lord Shiva is worshipped symbolically through a wooden block (Mohanty 1997:679), appear to have been influenced by the khamba worship of Stambheswari cult.
Similarly, in Ghanta Patua worship in the whole month of Chaitra (corresponding to March-April) in which a ghata (pitcher) is placed on the head, on a stemming wooden stand or pillar representing various goddesses such as Sarala, Hingula, Charchika, Bhagavati, and Chandi, which appear to be a variant form of this pillar worship. The servitor who dances carrying this ghata on a wooden stand, accompanying the sound of ghanta (brass gong) is known as Ghanta Patua or Ghata Patur. These Ghanta Patuas are non-Brahmin servitor of the deities and their dance is very similar to Karaga dance of Mysore (Pattnaik 1997:661). In this way Stambheswari cult has influenced various cults of Odisha and goddess Stambheswari, therefore, occupies a specific place in the religious and cultural history of Odisha.Legacy: The worship of Stambheswari in the form of a pillar appears to have influenced other sects and denominations. In the Jagannath and Vishnu temples, Garuda, the conveyance of Lord, is placed on a pillar called Garuda Stambha and is worshipped by the devotees. So, also we find Aruna Pillar before sun temples and small Vrushav (Bull) Stambha before Siva temples. A fragment of Asoka Pillar discovered from Bhubaneswar has been converted into Siva Linga of the Bhaskareswara temple (Panigrahi 1981:313).
This bears evident testimony to the facts that Stambha or Pillar was treated as divinity. In this way the pillar is worshipped which originated from the cult of Stambheswari has influenced the religious customs and beliefs of Odisha.Notes
1 Stambheswari is a compound word formed of two words, namely Stambha and Iswari. The term ‘iswari’ means goddess, the feminine form of ‘iswwar’- the god. The literal meaning of Stambheswari is pillar or post goddess.
2 Saktism is a popular Hindu religious sect in Odisha and India underlying the worship of eternal female energy.
3 Khamba, meaning pillar, is not a tribal term, but a corrupt form of Sanskrit term stambha with same meaning. At some phase in the history this term has entered into the tribal vocabulary system. Obviously, pillar goddess Khambeswari originated or got its name during that phase of history or thereafter. The suffix ‘swari’ is also not a tribal term. Had it been in their belief system before the influence of non-tribal language, it would have its tribal name. Due to a language shift, the original tribal name might have been forgotten. What is important to note is that tribes worshipped the pillar deity before non-tribes or kings (cf. Mishra 1971:14). Still a further corrupt form of ‘Khamba’ was used by the Dumals as they addressed Khambeswari as Khamsiri (Mazumdar 1925:108).
4 To be particular, the history of the goddess in her Hinduised form dates to fifth century AD because Khamba or Stambha are Aryanised term. Such a trend is noticed in its climax around sixth century AD in other parts of the country. As R.S. Sharma (1974/1958:180) informs, the cult of the mother goddess, widely prevalent among the tribes acquired significance in Buddhist and Brahminical traditions; the aboriginal mother goddess came to be worshipped in the form of shakti in the later tradition.
The dynasty believed to have originated from Panduvamsis who trace their origin from the Pandavas of the Mahabharata. The Somavamsis entered into Odisha after being expelled from their patrimony in south Koshala by the Kalachuris.
Somavamsi literarily means descents (vamsi) from the Moon (Soma).Devati (goddess) is the feminine form of Devata (god). Grama in English is village.
Devi means goddess and feminine form of Deva. Barada is name of a Kandha deity, but its meaning is not known. Barada means palm leaf. How the deity assumed this name is also not known. The colonial historians have spelt Kandhas of Odisha as Khounds, Khonds, etc.
The importance of mother goddess also has territorial significance in that regions are named after them. For example, geographical name of Keonjhar is formed from the name of Goddess Kinchikeswari, a non-tribal goddess (Mazumdar 1925:134-135).
An object of worship for its supposed magical power.
The lowest group in Hindu Varna system.
Mazumdar (1925:180) has observed while conducting field study in the then Sambalpur that both the Kandhas and the Dumals (Hindus) of Sonepur area worship Khambeswari in their villages in the form of wooden pillars. This places the goddesses of tribes and non-tribes. Interestingly, neither Brahmins nor Kshyatriyas worship Khambeswari in Sonepur. Mazumdar further states that the Dumals ‘worship their tribal goddess’ when Durgapuja is celebrated.
S. N. Rajguru (1950) also supports tribal origin of Stambheswari. According to him, “Wooden pillars are posted at a corner of aborigine villages representing their village deity. This wooden- pillar-deity was named Stambheswari by Brahmins who incorporated this tribal deity in the Hindu pantheon” (Rajguru 1950:110).
The Aryan- Non Aryan Divide has been contested by many schools. However it has become a convention with most of the historians to associate the invaders from the north who occupied the tribal hinterlands and carved out a kingdom for them as Aryan. However, we find some deviation to this theory. The Kadambavamsi ruling family of Bonai claims their origin to Ceylon. They appear to have entered India by crossing the Pak Strait, but not Hindu Kush.
The goddess with a tiger face; it is the presiding deity of Ghumusar’s Bhanja rulling family.
The goddess is addressed as Kanta in Khandadhar Hill, in the palace of the Bonai king as Kanta Devi and among the Bhuyians Kanta Kuanari.
Many ruling families of Odisha claim themselves as Suryavamsi, descents (vamsi) from the Sun-God. Obtained from the grace/blessings of goddess Stambheswari.
Given as boon/blessings of Stambheswari; by the grace of the boon got from the goddess Stambheswari (Chakravorty 1895:126).
“By the grace of the boon got from the goddess Stambheswari” (Chakravorty 1895:126).
Deities of the Kandha tribe are worshipped in form of wooden log.
Navakalevara is a ritual in which the old images are cremated and new images are installed in the temple of Puri.
Daitapatis are a community who serve Lord Jagannath of Puri from Snana Purnima (Bathing Ceremony) to Ratha Yatra (Car Festival).
There is another version which states that Raj Sing Deo found this pillar from debris of old ruins and brought it to light(Mazumdar 1925:107).
The badi (stick) made of rohini wood (Indian red-wood, scientific name: soymida febrifuga) or mahua/mahula in Odia (bassia latifolia) wood is addressed as Maheswari, i.e. the spouse of Maheswar, the Lord Shiva.
Dumal community presents a case of tribal and non-tribal interface in the matter of worship. They worship two goddesses, Parameswari and Stambheswari in the form of two posts, the former of roh- ini wood and the latter of mahua wood. They engage Brahmin priest to worship Parameswari and while they themselves worship Khambeswari ‘their tribal goddess’ (see Mazumdar 1925:110-111).
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