A kuladevata or kuladevi, also known as a kuladaivaṃ , is an ancestral tutelary deity in Hinduism and Jainism. Such a deity is often the object of one's devotion (bhakti), and is coaxed to watch over one's clan (kula), gotra, family, and children from misfortune. This is distinct from an ishta-devata (personal tutelar) and a grāmadevatā (village deities). Male kuladevatas are sometimes referred to as a kuladeva, while their female counterparts are called a kuladevi.

Etymology

The word kuladevata is derived from two words: kula, meaning clan, and devata, meaning deity, referring to the ancestral deities that are worshipped by particular clans.

Veneration

Kuladaivams of the Shaiva tradition are often considered to be forms of Shiva and Parvati, while those of the Vaishnava tradition are often regarded to be forms of Vishnu and Lakshmi. Due to the veneration of holy men (babas) in several regions of the subcontinent, several communities consider such men to be their kuladevatas in the place of a deity. In western India, some communities regard local monarchs who belonged to their clan to be their kuladevata.

List

The following is a non-exhaustive list of the various kuladevatas revered in different regions of the Indian subcontinent:

Nepal

The kuldevata (Nepali: Kuldeuta कुलदेउता) in many hilly Nepalese families are often local deities worshipped by the people before the arrival of Hinduism in the region. For those of Khas descent, this is often the 12 Masto gods or one of the 9 Durga Bhawanis, which include:

Northern India

Himachal Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Some of the Primary Kuladevatas of Uttar Pradesh include:

Southern India

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana include:

Karnataka

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Karnataka include:

Tulu Nadu

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Tulu Nadu include:

Kerala

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Kerala include:

Tamil Nadu

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Tamil Nadu include:

Western India

Maharashtra

The kuladevatas worshipped in Maharashtra include:

Konkan

The kuladevatas venerated in the Konkan region include:

Gujarat and Rajasthan

The kuladevatas worshipped in Gujarat and Rajasthan include:

Eastern India / Nepal (Terai Belt, Southern Nepal)

Bihar In Bihar, the following deities are worshipped as kuladevatas: Bihar asthana kayasth ki kuldeviya. Banni mata, durga mata, shiv ji, hanuman ji, batuk Bhairav ji

Bengal

In Bengal, the following deities are venerated as kuladevatas:

Sri Lanka

The following is a list of kuladevatas venerated in Sri Lanka: