Khodiyar
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| Khodiyar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Other names | Janbai, Khodal |
| Affiliation | Devi, Shakti |
| Mantra | Om aim hrim klim shrim kham khodiyaray namah: |
| Weapon | Trident |
| Mount | Crocodile |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Rohishala Village, Botad Taluka, Bhavanagar |
| Parents | Mamadiya Gadhvi and Minalde Gadhvi |
| Siblings | Sisters : Aval, Jogal, Togal,Holbai, Beejbai, Sosai Brother : Mehrak |
Khodiyar is a Hindu folk goddess worshiped in Gujarat and Rajasthan states in India.[1] The suffix Mata or Maa (meaning "mother") is generally added to her name, similar to other Hindu goddesses.
Legends[]
The legend of Khodiyar is dated around 700 AD.[2] A man called Mamaniya Gadhvi lived in the Roishala village in Vallabhipur in modern Bhavnagar district.[1] Due to his honesty and devotion to Shiva, he had an exceptional friendship with the local Maitraka king Shilbhadra. The ruler's ministers envied Gadhvi's relationship with Shilbhadra and planned to get rid of him. While they failed to persuade the king, they managed to persuade his queen to distrust Gadhvi by explaining that a childless married man is inauspicious.[2]
Soon, the doorkeepers denied Gadhvi entrance into the palace. When Gadhvi asked for the reason, he was told that a childless man is not worthy of the king's presence. Humiliated, Mamaniya went home before visiting the temple. He prayed to Shiva for progeny. He decided to perform the ultimate sacrifice of his own life. Just when he was about to kill himself, Shiva appeared before him. Shiva explained that Gadhvi's destiny did not include biological children.[2] Still, Shiva took him to Nagaloka to see the King of Snakes, Nagadev.
After listening to the man's story, the Nagadev's youngest daughter and her seven siblings decided to help by incarnating as humans. The youngest snake princess advised Gadhvi to make eight cradles for eight children. Gadhvi returned to Roishala and told his wife the news before following through with the instructions. Eight snakes crawled into the cradles, and soon he was blessed with seven daughters named Aval, Jogal, Togal, Holbaai, Sosaai, Bheejbai, Janbai (who later earned the name Khodiyar) and one son named Mehrak.[2]
When Shilbhadra learned of Gadhvi's children, he was happy that his friend was no longer childless, but he also suspected black magic.[2] The king visited Gadhvi and his new family. The king's ministers decided to use this opportunity to eliminate both Shilbhadra and Gadhvi by poisoning the sweets that the king would eat at Gadhvi's house. By a miracle, the poisoned food disappeared before the king could take a bite. Unfortunately, this supported the king's suspicions. He ordered that the eight children be placed in iron boxes and left to drown in the river. By another miracle, each of the eight boxes floated, the babies' cries audible from inside.[2]
The eight children of Mamaniya Gadhvi grew up to become fearsome warriors and wore black cloths in memory of their native place, Nagaloka. Therefore, they were given the names as cobra sisters or Nagnechi, who was also the tutelary deity of the royal house in Marwar.
One day, while the children were playing in a field, Mehrak was bitten by a venomous snake. Janbai volunteered to journey to Nagaloka to retrieve amrita before the poison could take Mehrak. On her return trip, Janbai severely injured her foot on rocks. She could not walk properly, so she rode a crocodile back to the surface, earning her divine status as she saved Mehrak's life. She became known and worshipped as Khodiyar from the root word khodi (limping) and with the crocodile as her mount.[1][2]
Temples[]
The most important Khodiyar Mata temple are the temples at Matel (near Wankaner), Rajpura village (near Bhavnagar), Galdhara (near Dhari) and Tataniya Dhara (near BhavnagarDediyasan[mehsana]).
Khodaldham is massive construction temple of "maa khodiyar" approximate area of 50 vigha.[3] It is located near Kagvad [Gujarat, 360370], off Jetpur-Virpur road section on NH27. It is located close to Khambalida Buddhist caves.
Khodiyar's temple at Matel near Wankaner is huge and people gather on the riverbank near the temple to see a crocodile, the goddess' mount. The place is located about 17km north of Wankaner, and 26km southeast of Morbi.
Sprawling Khodiyar Mataji temple at Rajpara village (Rajpara Dham) is equally popular. It is located about 18 km west of Bhavnagar city. There is a lake near the temple known as Tataniya Dharo, and for the same reason, goddess is also known as Tataniya Dharawali.
Galadhara Shree Khodiyar Mandir near Dhari, Gujarat is equally massive and popular.
A Gujarati film Jai Khodiyar Maa, was once a box office hit and Hemant Chauhan has a garba CD with the same title.
Kuldevi[]
Many Hindu castes like jograna Charan, Rajput, Bania, Brahmin,Ahir, Bharwad and Patel, Bhoi Gurjars, Devipujak, Luhar-Suthar etc worship Khodiyar Mata as their Kuldevi and also use Khodiyar as their surname. The Jograna (Bharvad) Chudasama, Patidar Sarvaiya, Rana, Raval (yogi), Bhati (Jaisavat/Jaisa), Rathod clans sometimes used Khodiyar as their surname as they worship Khodiyar Mata as their Kuldevi.[4]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ a b c "Khodiyar Mata: The goddess rules a stepwell". Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g "History | Khodiyar Mandir Rajpara Bhavanagar". www.khodiyarmandir.com. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
- ^ http://khodaldhamtrust.org
- ^ Kadia Kshatriya Itihas Published by Nutan Prakashan (1895) in Gujarati
External links[]
- Hindu goddesses
- Hindu folk deities
- Mother goddesses
- Charan