DEVATA, from Deva, a divinity, a spirit, a demigod. The Devata are benign spirits, governed by Indra, properly the inhabitants of the North Pole, for the Devata are said to have day when the Daitya have the night, and vice versci. Amongst the Hindus there are several kinds of Devata, or deities to whom worship is given,—the Gramma-devata or village god ; the Kula - devata, the race, household, or family god ; and the Ishta-devata, the patron or personal • deity of individuals ; Adi-devata is the primitive deity ; Sthanadevata, local deity. The Aryan Hindu does not recognise the village gods of Southern India, but the non-Hindu Turanian races largely worship them ; And even many of those Turanian races who have been converted to Hinduism, worship them. .They are mostly shape less pieces of wood or stone sineared *ith ver milion, and usually reprecient evil spirits or devils. These are the Amma, Amman, and Amur of the eastern and southern parts Of the Peninsula, and the Satwaii Bhaire, Mamba, Chamanda, Asra, Ai, and Marryai of the northern and western parts of the Peninsula, all of whom are recognised as causing harm to individuals. In health they are neglected ; but When sickness occurs, either to individuals, or as aii. epidemic, these spirits of evil are worshipped vvith much solemnity, and bloody sacrifices are made to them of goats and sheep, and bullocks and buffaloes. Gotra oi• Kula mean a family, and is used arciongst Kshat riya and Vaisyas as well as Brahmans. The Gotta depend on a real or iinaginary community of blood, and then correspond to what we call families. No Hindii house is supposed to -be
without its tutelary divinity, but the notion at tached to this character is now very far from preCise. The deity who is the object of heredi tary or family Worship, the Kula-devata, is always Siva, or Vishnu, or Durga, or other principal personage of the Hindu mythology; but the Griha devata or household god rarely bears any distinct appellation. In Bengal, the domestic god is sometimes the Saligram, sometimeS the tulasi plant, sometimes a basket with a little rice in it, and sometimes a water jar, to any of which a brief adoration is daily addressed, most usually by the females of the family. Occasionally small images of Lakshrni or °handl fulfil the office, or, should a snake appear, it is worshipped as the guardian of the dwelling. In general, in former times, the household deities were regarded as the unseen spirits of ill, the ghosts and goblins vvho hovered about every spot, and claimed some particular sites as their own. At the close of all ceremonies, offerings were made to them in the open air, to keep them in good humour, by scattering a little rice, with n, short formula. Thus, at the end of the daily ceremony, the house holder is enjoined by Menu (8.90) to throw up his oblation (bali) in the open air to all the gods, to those who walk by day, and those who walk by night.' In this light the household god corre sponds better with the genii locorunz than with the Lares or Penates of antiquity.—Wilson's Hindu Theatre ; Warren, Kala Sanhita.