The worship of Jyeshta Devi started from 3rd Century BCE and continued till 7th to 8th Century. She was called as Mootha Devi, moodevi, Thavvai, Settai, Kettai and Mamugadi. As per Sangam literatures She was worshiped as female deity after Kotravai and mentioned as Thavvai. She holds the Crow flag and broom. She is shown with large pendulous breast, flabby belly, thick thighs. These are seen and considered as the good sign of wealthyness ( வளமையின் சின்னமாக பார்க்கப்பட்டது ) and fertility. During Pallava period, Thavvai was in separate temple and donations were made for worship.
By 7th to 8th Century Aryans gains popularity and raised to the level of controlling temples. By quoting the Agamas and Puranas, that Jyeshta is the elder sister of Lakshmi who came first while churning the milk ocean by Devas and Asuras to get the amrith. She came first with Ugly face, flabby belly and Thick thigh, holds crow flag and broom. They changed the people’s minds as, that Thavvai is an inauspicious goddess and those, who worship will be in poverty.
By the 10th century the worship of Thavvai slowed down and the Deities were moved out of the temples. Even though She is not worshiped popularly, her son Mandhan with bull ( some claims as buffaloe ) faced is worshiped to get relieved from the mandhi dosha. In this article we will see some of the Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai sculptures of Villupuram District. In that some are still in worship.
Perangiyur, Sri Thirumoolanathar Temple, Jyeshta Devi / ThavvaiJyeshta Devi / Thavvai… Thavvai is shown with flabby belly and thick thigh. Her crow flag and broom are shown on her back. Sher wears ornaments I the ears, neck and Yagnopaveetha. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on both Sides. Thavvai is resting both hands on her two attendants. This Thavvai is in sitting posture, where as Mandhan and Mandhi are in standing posture.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Thimmachur, Jyeshta DeviIn this Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai statue, Thavvai is in sitting posture on throne and resting her leg on the ground. She is not shown with flabby belly and thick thighs. Her right hand is abhaya hasta and left hand rests on her thigh. She wears ornaments in her ears, neck and Yagnopaveetha. Her crow flag is shown on her back. Her son Mandhan and Mandhi are also in sitting posture on her both sides.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Jambai, Jyeshta Devi / ThavvaiIn this Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai statue, Thavvai is in sitting posture. She is not shown with flabby belly and thick thighs. Her right hand is holding a lotus flower and left hand rests on her thigh. She wears ornaments in her ears, neck and Yagnopaveetha. Her crow flag is shown on her back. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are in standing posture on her both sides.
This Thavvai, may be worship in a temple once up on a time and now she is in the middle of the field. There is an inscription inscribed on the rock / boulder near her. The inscription belongs to Kannaradevan, records to the donations made to this temple.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Jambai, Sri Jambunathar temple, Jyeshta devi / Thavvai.Ths Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai is in worship along with other deities. It was told that this Thavvai belongs to Rashtrakutas. In this Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai statue, Thavvai is in sitting posture on throne and resting her leg on the ground. She is not shown with flabby belly and thick thighs. She is holding a lotus flower in the right hand and left hand rests on her thigh. She wears ornaments in her ears and neck. Her crow flag is shown on her back. Her son Mandhan and Mandhi are also in sitting posture on her both sides.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Perani , Thavvai ( Jyeshta Devi with Manthan and Manthi )This Thavvai belongs to pallava period and is not in worship, lying as a loose sculpture in the outer prakaram. Thavvai is shown with flabby belly and thick thigh. Her crow flag is shown on her back. She wears ornaments in the ears and neck. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on both Sides. Thavvai’s right hand is holding a some thing or abhaya hastam and the left hand is holding a water pot. This Thavvai is in sitting posture, where as Mandhan and Mandhi are in standing posture. Sine Thavvai sculpture is in highly eroded condition, couldn’t obtain all the details.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Sendiyampakkam, Shiva Temple Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai.This Thavvai belongs to pallava period and is in worship and installed in the prakaram along with Murugan, Maha Vishnu and Durga. Thavvai is shown with flabby belly and thick thigh. Her crow flag is shown on her back. She wears ornaments in the ears, neck and Yagnopaveetha. Her son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on both Sides in sitting posture. Thavvai’s right hand is abhaya hastam and holding a water pot on the left hand.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Alagramam, Thavvai at Sri Chelliamman templeThis Thavvai is in sitting posture with with large pendulous breast, flabby belly, thick thighs. Her hands are hanging, whether they are resting on something is not known. She wears ornaments in the ears and neck. She is sitting alone without his son and daughter. This Thavvai was made like a statue.
LOCATIONS OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Thiruvandarkoil This Thavvai is in sitting Posture . Her Crow flag is shown on her back. Her Son Mandhan and daughter Mandhi are shown on her both sides. This Thavvai may belongs to Chozha period. LOCATION : CLICK HERE
Melolakkur, Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai The Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai Thai is with her daughter Manthi and her son Mandhan. Local people calls this as Durgai Amman or a Ellai Amman ( Amman at the Limit point for the village ). Jyeshta Devi is in the form of bas-relief, which is not protruding much. She is in a sitting posture with legs folded. A Big belly is shown and ornaments are shown in the ears and on neck. Her crow flag and broom stick is shown on her back. Mandhan is shown with human face instead of usual buffaloe’s head and holding a Dhandam in the right hand. This is very much similar to the relief found at Chunambedu. As per the historians both reliefs are of 6th century Pallava period.
LOCATION OF JYESHTA DEVI BAS-RELIEF : CLICK HERE
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
By the 10th century the worship of Thavvai slowed down and the Deities were moved out of the temples. Even though She is not worshiped popularly, her son Mandhan with bull ( some claims as buffaloe ) faced is worshiped to get relieved from the mandhi dosha. In this article we will see some of the Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai sculptures of Villupuram District. In that some are still in worship.
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