Pattini
Encyclopedia
In Sinhala Buddhist belief the Pattini is a guardian deity of Buddhism. She is the deification of Kannagi
, who is the central character of the Tamil
epic
Silapadhikaram of Ilango Adigal
. She is worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindu
s and is the patron goddess of fertility and health - particularly of smallpox
, which is referred to as deviyange ledé ('the divine affliction') in the Sinhala language.
According to Sinhala mythology
, the Bodhisatva Pattini was incarnated
as Kannagi in order to rid the Pandya kingdom
of its evil three-eyed king. She was said to have been born of a mango
fruit, which was cut down by the god Sakra
with an arrow.
The first mention is in the Silapadhikaram, written in India
at some time after the 2nd Century CE. Introduced into Sri Lanka at some time after this, it absorbed earlier deities such as that of Kiri Amma ('milk mother'). Historians attribute her introduction to the island to Gajabahu I
, a frequent traveller to Tamilakkam. The Silapathikaram mentions Gajabahu's presence at the consecration of a temple to Kannagi (identified as Pattini in this case) by the Chera
king Senguvuttan.
s such as
s (alms
-givings) to goddess Pattini, called Kiri-amma dāna (Milk-mother's alms-giving).
Kannagi
Kannagi or , a legendary Tamil woman, is the central character of the South Indian epic Silapathikaram. Legend states that Kannagi took revenge on the King of Madurai, for a mistaken death penalty imposed on her husband Kovalan, by cursing the city with disaster.-The story:Kovalan, the son of a...
, who is the central character of the Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
Silapadhikaram of Ilango Adigal
Ilango Adigal
Ilango Adigal was a Tamil poet and a Jain monk, who was instrumental in the creation of Silappathikaram, one of the five great epics of Tamil Literature. Prince Ilango was the brother of Chera king Cheran Chenguttuvan , in South India. Ilango Adigal was born in the Chera dynasty that ruled parts...
. She is worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and is the patron goddess of fertility and health - particularly of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, which is referred to as deviyange ledé ('the divine affliction') in the Sinhala language.
According to Sinhala mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, the Bodhisatva Pattini was incarnated
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
as Kannagi in order to rid the Pandya kingdom
Pandya Kingdom
The Pandyas were fierce warriors who took part in the Kurukshetra War as per the epic Mahabharata. A Pandya king named Sarangadhwaja, is mentioned as participating in the Kurukshetra War, siding with the Pandavas. It is not clear if Pandyas were linked to the Pandavas of North India...
of its evil three-eyed king. She was said to have been born of a mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
fruit, which was cut down by the god Sakra
Sakra
Śakra or Sakka is the ruler of the Heaven according to Buddhist cosmology. His full title is |deva]]s". In Buddhist texts, Śakra is the proper name and not an epithet of this deity; conversely, Indra in Sanskrit and Inda in Pali are sometimes used as an epithet for Śakra as "lord".In East...
with an arrow.
The first mention is in the Silapadhikaram, written in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
at some time after the 2nd Century CE. Introduced into Sri Lanka at some time after this, it absorbed earlier deities such as that of Kiri Amma ('milk mother'). Historians attribute her introduction to the island to Gajabahu I
Gajabahu I
Gajabahu I , also known as Gajabahuka Gamani was a Sinhalese king of Rajarata in Sri Lanka. He is renowned for his religious benefactions, extensive involvement in south Indian politics, and for possibly introducing the cult of the goddess Pattini to Sri Lanka...
, a frequent traveller to Tamilakkam. The Silapathikaram mentions Gajabahu's presence at the consecration of a temple to Kannagi (identified as Pattini in this case) by the Chera
Chera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
king Senguvuttan.
Rituals
Pattini is honoured in annual fertility riteFertility rite
Fertility rites are religious rituals that reenact, either actually or symbolically, sexual acts and/or reproductive processes: 'sexual intoxication is a typical component of the...rites of the various functional gods who control reproduction, whether of man, beast, cattle, or grains of seed'..They...
s such as
- Gammaduwa (village rebirth) festivals, during which her myth is enacted.
- Ankeliya (horn games) in which, as in the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
game of Uppies and DowniesUppies and DowniesWorkington in West Cumbria is home to a tradition known as "Uppies and Downies", a traditional version of football, dating to Medieval times and with roots in Celtic games, although the modern incarnation of Uppies and Downies was rejuvenated some time in the latter half of the 19th century...
, upper and lower teams compete. - Porakeliya (fight games) during which two teams hurl coconutCoconutThe coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
s at each other.
Major Pattini Temples in Sri Lanka
- Dedigama
- Kaduwela - Purana Rankadu Pattini Maha Devale
- Maduwa Pattini Devale - The festival of the Pattini Devale is held annually during July-August season.
- MadhuMadhuMadhu may refer to:* Madhu, a term in Hindi-Urdu, Sanskrit, and other languages for honey and alcohol * Madhu, in Hindu mythology, one of the asura brothers Madhu-Kaitabh, killed by Lord Vishnu...
- From the time King Gaja Bahu I (114-136 CE) allegedly introduced the Pattini worship to Sri Lanka ,Pattini temple was there in Madhu Church premises (Shrine of Our Lady of MadhuShrine of Our Lady of MadhuThe Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu is a Roman Catholic Marian shrine in Mannar district of Sri Lanka. With a history of over 400 years, this shrine acts as a center for pilgrimage and worship for Sri Lankan Catholics. The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island and is a well...
) for 1850 years.Hindus called it the Amman Temple. The nearby reservoir is still called Kovil Kulam (Reservoir of the Temple).According to the "Manual of the North Central Province", by R. W. Levers, 1889, ,present Madhu Church site had a "Pattini temple" till the 1850. The Catholic Shrine of Our Lady of MadhuShrine of Our Lady of MadhuThe Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu is a Roman Catholic Marian shrine in Mannar district of Sri Lanka. With a history of over 400 years, this shrine acts as a center for pilgrimage and worship for Sri Lankan Catholics. The site is considered as the holiest Catholic shrine in the island and is a well...
was established in 1876 on the same temple premises.At present , no ruins of Pattini temple can not be found there. - Kandy - Pattini Devale is located to the west of Natha Devale close to Sri Dalada Maligawa premises.
- MullaitivuMullaitivuMullaitivu is a small town on the north-eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of Mullaitivu District in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. A largely fishing settlement, the town in the early 20th century grew as an anchoring harbour of the small sailing vessels transporting goods between...
- This is said to be the first Pattini Temple in Sri Lanka.But, at present , no ruins have been found. - Medagoda (Sitawake)
- Nawagamuwa Devale - Thi s Devale is said to be built by king Rajasinha I (1581-1593).This is situated in Colombo to Avissawella Low level road. It is the principal cult centre for worship of the goddess.
- Panama - 15Km South of Arugam Bay. It is the site of one of the few remaining ankeliya rituals.
- RatnapuraRatnapura- Floods :The town of Ratnapura is situated in the flooding plain of the river Kalu. The town experiences regular floods usually in the month of May. There is no large dam across the Kalu, so this leaves the city at the mercy of nature's forces every year. Several proposals have been made to reduce...
- Saman Devale - Seenigama -(HikkaduwaHikkaduwaHikkaduwa is a small town on the south coast of Sri Lanka. It is located in the Southern Province, about 17 km north-west of Galle. Hikkaduwa is famous for its beach, surfing, corals and night life....
) Originally the centre for Pattini worship, it is now the principal centre of DevolDevolDevol can refer to:*George Devol, inventor of the first industrial robot*Frank Denny De Vol, sometimes known simply as DeVol, was an American arranger, composer and actor*Devol, Oklahoma*Devoll or Devolli, a river in southern Albania...
. - Wilbawa (KurunegalaKurunegalaKurunegala , is the capital of the North Western Province, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka and the Kurunegala District. Kurunegala was also an ancient royal capital for 50 years, from the end of the 13th century to the start of the 13th century. The town itself is a busy commercial and a transport hub...
) - Kabulumulla (One of the four major Pattini temples which the great 'Pattini Salamba' exists. This devale was built by King Rajasinghe I in 1582. This is situated in Colombo-Hatton rd. 15km from Avissawella) - Visit http://www.kabulumulladevalaya.org/
Kiri Amma Dana
Buddhists believe that goddess Pattini spreads viral diseases like chickenpox and measles and when a family member is infected, they hold a hold DānaDana
-Singers:Some singers are popularly known only by the name, Dana:* Dana Rosemary Scallon , Irish-American singer and politician* Dana , Korean pop singer* Dana International , Israeli pop singer-In fiction:...
s (alms
Alms
Alms or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue.It exists in a number of religions. In Philippine Regions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks and nuns to...
-givings) to goddess Pattini, called Kiri-amma dāna (Milk-mother's alms-giving).