Betal

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Not to be confused with Hindu God, Vithoba.
Betal statue, Poinguinim, Goa

Betal (Devanagari: बेताळ, Hindi: वेताल) is a popular folk deity in Goa, Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra and Karwar of Karnataka in India. Images of Betal are naked with an emaciated belly; most sculptures of Betal have a sword in one hand and a bowl in another. Betal is also known as Vetoba in the Konkan area of Maharashtra and Goa, and in the Sindhudurg district.

Vetoba is a deity of the Aravali people, and also known as Agyavetal, Pralayvetal and Iwalavetal. He is noted for his footwear, which consists of large Kolhapuri chappals (a type of leather flip-flop). He is usually depicted carrying a sword and holding a skull bowl.

History[]

Betal was a deity of Austroasiatic-speaking Adivasis of the Konkan. An indigenous term for the deity was sanskritised as Vetāla. Betal is a grāmadevatā, a protector deity of the local community.

Tradition[]

According to tradition, he moves throughout the village at night and keeps vigil on the property of his devotees. The cult of Betal has been very prominent in Goa; animal sacrifices are made to Betal in many places. However, modes of worship differ from place to place. Offerings of sugar and bananas are made, and animal sacrifice is disapproved of in some areas.

Agyo Betal is another form of Betal found in Goa.[1]

In Poinguinim, Goa, when wishes are fulfilled the offering is made in the form of leather chappals. It is believed that Betal wears the chappals and roams around the village. When you visit the temple, you can see the chappals are worn out.

Betal chappals at Poinguinim, Goa

Lord Vetal is king of ghosts. The konkan desh is ruled by Vetal and his ghosts. He is worshipped for protection from ghosts. Konkan area is believed to be overpopulated by ghosts and demons. Macchindranath, according to the 5th adhyaya of Navnath Bhaktisaar Granth, made war on the ghosts, Vetal's army was defeated by him over North India and beyond.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Mitragotri, Vithal Raghavendra (1999). A socio-cultural history of Goa from the Bhojas to the Vijayanagara. Institute Menezes Braganza. pp. 225–246.

Bibliography[]

Vetoba Devasthan of Aravali

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