Well-Known Goddess With An Unknown History

Periyachi
A Well-Known Infuriated Goddess With An Unknown History.

Sri Periyachi Amman (literally meaning: highly-regarded female goddess and elderly female goddess). She is closely associated with Kali (the goddess of death, destruction and time) and regarded as an avatar/incarnation of goddess Kali. However, Periyachi has an untold story of her own. The stories have many variations and opinions as Periyachi does not belong to the Vedic (Hindu holy book) classification. There is no mention of Periyachi in any Vedas or Brahminic (priestly) scriptures. However, Periyachi has become an important focal point in some parts of India, but mainly in Malaysia and Singapore. (Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQeO9Okn-nE).

All Hindus in Singapore and Malaysia worship Periyachi, but not many know who she is and the hidden story behind this exasperated goddess. The only known facts about her are that: she is a ferocious looking goddess with several arms of weapon and a child in one of her arm. She is depicted as reaping open a lady’s womb on her lap from which she eats the intestine and made a garland out of it for her neck. She has a dead man on her foot. She is believed to grant the boon of a child to childless couples. Plus, remove the danger, evil eye, demons and spells from the pregnant mother and her unborn child. Furthermore, she protects the woman from endless labor pain and gives fortunes and good health. She blesses those who worship her and crushes the ego with her fearsome posture. Newly born babies are placed at her feet to receive protection and blessings for a healthy and long life. These are common rituals, especially in Singapore and Malaysia. Periyachi Amman is basically a South Indian (Tamil) Village Family Deity from a particular part of India. Early settlers from these areas migrated to Singapore and Malaysia, thus bringing along their personal village goddess as well. Periyachi is rarely seen in many temples in India but traces of her worship can be found in some villages in Tanjavur and so on.

Commonly, throughout the world, Hindu rituals begin before a child is born. Ceremonies will be performed during pregnancy to ensure the health of the mother and growing child. During the third month of pregnancy, the ceremony of Punsavana (fetus protection) is performed. This is done for the strong physical growth of the fetus. Charms and rituals will be done to ward off the evil eye and witches or demons. However, in Singapore and Malaysia, the Goddess Periyachi will be worshiped in the temple with special prayers to ask the goddess for protection and blessings.

After that, the Simantonnyana (bangle ceremony) is performed during the seventh month. This is the equivalent of a baby shower and means 'satisfying the craving of the pregnant mother'. Prayers are offered for the mother and child with an emphasis on the healthy mental development of the unborn child. Hindus believe that the mental state of a pregnant woman affects the unborn child. Colorful glass bangles will decorate the pregnant women’s hands. The sound of the bangles for the next 2 months will scientifically stimulate the child's brain development. The elders will remove evil eyes and bless the mother and child through many proper rituals. In addition to that, in Singapore and Malaysia: The Goddess Periyachi will be worshiped again at home and in the temple requesting protection from evil eye and help the mother cope with the labor pain and the child’s safety.

Once the child enters the world, the family and the baby will be unclean for thirty days. They cannot participate in religious activities during these thirty days. People who enter their homes will be declared unclean too, so they must maintain proper hygiene after visiting their household. After the thirty days of uncleanness, prayers will be allowed and the mother, child, and family can resume visits to temples and religious involvements. Then, Jatakarma will be performed to welcome the child into the family, by putting some honey in the child's mouth and whispering the name of God in the child's ear. Plus, holy water will be splashed throughout the house to declare the household clean. Then, after that, the naming ceremony (Namakarna) will be done. Some honey will be placed in the child's mouth and the relatives will whisper the child's name into the ear. A well-gathered crowd and party will follow on this 30th day. Along with that, in Singapore and Malaysia: A big scale, women only, the ceremony will take place to please the Goddess Periyachi on the 30th day. Elderly women will conduct the ceremony whereby non-vegetarian food will be cooked. Black sari, non-vegetarian foods, and auspicious items will be offered to Goddess Periyachi at home.

Then, the child's first trip out (Nishkarmana) will take place, which is usually a temple. It is the same for Singapore, however, the child will be first brought to the altar of Goddess Periyachi (this is not done in India). Once at the altar, a special prayer will be done to thank Periyachi and seek protection while the child grows. The child will be placed on the feet of the goddess or a golden cradle.

After a few days or months, the ear-piercing ceremony (Karnavedha) and first haircut (Mundan) ceremonies are also considered highly significant. Hindus believe that the piercing of a hole in the lower lobes of the ear has benefits of acupuncture. Head saving is connected to the removal of impurities. If the child has any form of problems or issues, then the child will be given/donated away to the god or goddess closely worshipped by the family. So the god will so-called adopt the child and she will guide over the child forever. The correct god or goddess will be chosen according to astrology. These are common practices in India also. In Singapore and Malaysia: Most of them will give the child to Goddess Periyachi to adopt and care for. Therefore, Goddess Periyachi plays an important role in Singapore and Malaysia. Having said all that. What is the hidden story behind this goddess?



Periyachi is a non-Vedic (not based on holy books) and non-Brahmic (not related to the priestly order and non-vegetarian). Usually, non-vegetarian elderly man will conduct rituals and prayers for her. However, nowadays, Brahminic vegetarian priests also conduct prayers for her as she is also found in temples among other Vedic Hindu gods and goddesses.

After months of searching, I found a reliable source which explained her story (in a temple website): There once lived a Great King belonging to the South Indian kingdom of Pandya. His name was Vallalarajan Rajah. He was not a kind king and the people under his rule suffered a lot. He tortured people and accumulated bad Karma and sin throughout his life. 

One day, his wife, the queen, got pregnant with a child. After 9 months, the time came when she had to give birth to that child. The king was so evil that some even believed that if his child were to step foot on earth, it will be the end of the world. Others mentioned that the king did great penance and got a boon/grant from Lord Shiva that the child born to him will have immense power to replace the Holy Hindu Trinity in creating, protecting and destroying.

During the delivery process, his wife suffered extremely severe labor pain. As the pain went on unabated, the worried king sent his soldiers to find a midwife. However, they were unable to find anyone and some were even unwilling to go. Therefore, the angry King rushed and went looking for a midwife himself. He searched high and low but couldn’t find anyone. Then, he saw a stern looking lady by the name of Periyachi before him. He approached her and asked her to be a midwife for his Queen. However, the King does not know that Periyachi was actually a goddess (avatar or incarnation of Kali). Other sources mention that Periyachi was the goddess of the asuras or the demons. Therefore, Periyachi was one of the goddesses whom the demons worshiped and seek for power and strength.

So, the king brought the demon goddess Periyachi, who was in human disguise, to his palace. She was indeed an aspect of Adi-Shakti (the ancient divine goddess), similar to Kali, Parvati, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. 

She removed all the complications involving the delivery and successfully helped to deliver the King's baby. She relieved the great pain of the Queen’s labor. Plus, the child did not step foot or touch on solid ground but instead it was in Periyachi’s hand after delivery. Then, Periyachi asked the king for payment for the great help she has done. However, the greedy and unkind king refused to pay her dues. In his arrogance and ego, he felt that a subject should not ask for a fee from a king. He thinks that Periyachi is his slave and therefore she must serve her King under any circumstances, so he refused to pay her. In great anger, the goddess Periyachi revealed her true self. She removed her human disguise and became a vicious goddess with multiple hands and great power. She threw the King down to her feet. She took the Queen and disemboweled/reaped her womb open. After tearing her, she took out her bleeding intestine and started to put it into her mouth and as a garland around her neck. The king was shocked to see his beloved wife being killed. She taught the arrogant King and Queen a lesson. Finally, she used her weapons to kill the king by unleashing great anger and power. One of her multiple arms held on to the King’s child so that he will never set foot on earth. And she brought an end to the arrogant king and queen. And also prevent the child from stepping foot onto the ground. The alternative story says that she reaped the queen womb to remove the demonic baby and killed the arrogant King and Queen in the process.

The people around the area started to worship her physical fury form. For this reason, pregnant ladies make a promise to bring their babies to seek her blessings for a safe delivery and remove any serious complication. As Periyachi is considered the midwife, women who do not have babies also pray to her to be blessed with a child. Then she became known as Sri Maha Periyachi Kali Amman. 

This goddess came under international lights when her temple in Malaysia was demolished forcefully by the Malaysian government. The Malaysia Hindu Organisation was very disturbed at the demolition of the Temple in Tambak Paya, Melaka. Demolishing of temples and statues are regarded sinful to the Hindus. Reasons given by officials was that it was not registered and is standing on government property. Given that, many other structures throughout Malaysia are still standing even though they too were built without local authority permission, it is particularly disturbing to Hindus that a place of worship is targeted in this manner. The temple was finally destroyed along with its statues and materials. - Malaysia Kini News

© 2008 Ramesh Kumar
Updated: 2014

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The following content has been published in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periyachi