The Goddess of Anger
© Meenakshi Subramaniam
"She is the very form of extreme passion." says the high priest at Mel Malayanur " Her graces and boons are instant and long-lasting." The temple is located right in the middle of a huge cremating ground.
When asked on the origin of such a gruesome surroundings for the Mother Goddess, the priests and devotees have a fascinating tale to tel.. Its origins lie in Hindu mythology. In the Hindu trinity or the Holy Triad, Siva the destroyer has five heads. Brahma, the Creator too desires for five majestic heads and asks a boon of Siva, which is granted.
After attaining five heads, Brahma becomes intolerable. He antagonizes the other gods and demands respect on par with Siva. To curb his pride, Siva nips off the offending fifth head with his thumb and forefinger.
Now, this amounts to murder. And the harming of a religious or highly respected person results in ,i. Brahmahathi Dosham or the Curse of the Murderer. To add to Siva's woes, a bereaved Saraswathi, wife of Brahma, takes umbrage at the slight done to her husband; she in turn curses Siva to roam about the world with Brahma's head still attached to it. She further curses Siva's wife, Durga to be born on Earth as a demon.
In time, of course, Saraswathi relents. She offers for the curse to be lifted when Durga the Demon enters Malaiyadwaja's kingdom and resides there as an angry Goddess. The more and more boons and favours she grants, the better are her chances of the curse being removed.
This is the tale of Angala Parameswari, who exacts angry tributes form her devotees., but grants them life and riches beyond measure.
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