A Study on the " Kaderi" Worship that Prevails among Rural Tamil Folks

Abstract

The word “kaderi” really denotes a person who had once lived as a member of a village or town society and had later renounced such a life due to some reasons and had found resort in a forest locality. His bitter experiences in the previous locality might have compelled him to undergo such a change in his life environment. The worship of the woman deity “Kaderi” being one of the folk deities in the Tamil society, needs much attention from a socio – anthropological point of view. “Kaderi” is a fearful and ferocious deity who frightens and causes harm to conceived females and girls who have attained puberty. In the most Hindu rural traditions, the word “Kadu” (forest) is interpreted as a natural field as against a general field of livelihood. Besides, the space referred to as “Kadu” is also used to indicate anger, fear, a state of having no family ties, and ones’s departure. The main objective of this research is to bring out the significance of Kaderi worship based on Hindu folk worship tradition. Based on Victor Turner’s theory related to “Liminal in religious rituals” and with the help of the foregoing information, this article attempts to elucidate the myths related to Kaderi. Basically, this article is a descriptive research. Collected data will be subject to content analysis in appropriate instances. This research article identifies several local religious traditions prevailing in South India and Sri Lanka in relation to Kaderi as may by seen below: Kaderi is a dreadful female deity, it moves about particularly during mid-day and midnight times. It attacks pregnant females, matured girls and teenage males. It dwells along lakes, ponds, paddy fields and forests that are out of the village boarders. The following forms of worship pertaining to katteri have also been identified in this article, viz. A ritual by the name “Mayanankkollai” which literally means robbery at the crematorium. An important offering known as “Kalicchelavu” made to katteri, providing a specially prescribed diet for pregnant women.