Page:South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses.djvu/244

224 Selliyamma, Pattalamma, Vandi-Kaliyamma, Alagiyanachchiyamma, Ulagattal, Pidari, Pechi, Katteri, Poleramma, Gangamma, Chaudamma, Durgamma, Nukalamma, Paidamma, Asiramma, Padalamma, Gontyalamma, Paradesamma, Neralamma, Mallamma, Peddintamma, Somalamma, Matangirala, Talupulamma, Sellandiyamma, etc. Some of these names like Bhadrakali, Kollapuri-amma (Kollapura-Mahalakshml), Kaliyamma or Kala-Pidari (Kali), Gangamma (Ganga), Chaudamma (Chandi?), Durgamma (Durga) and Matangirala (MatangI, a recognized synonym of Parvatl) are clearly mentioned in the Tantrik works; and others can easily be traced to the same source. Mariyamma, for instance, under the name Marika occurs in the Puranas as the goddess presiding over small-pox and other infectious diseases. Kolumamma or Kulumayamma, Selliyamma (Tsallamma of the Telugus) and Sellandiyamma are evidently synonymous with Sitala. Poleramma, the village goddess commonly worshipped in the Telugu country, is also supposed to correspond to Sitala. Peddintamma is perhaps Jyeshtha.

It is, however, difficult to explain similarly the origin of names like Ankalamma, Pattalamma, etc. Of these again, a few are of a flattering nature such as Mutyalamma, "the pearl-like mother " (fig. 138), Ponnamma or Bangaramma, "the golden mother," Alagiyanachchiyamma, "the beautiful queen mother," etc. Ellamma probably means the goddess of boundaries (Telugu, ella).

Kala-Pidari and Durga-Paramesvariof four arms are names of village goddesses which occur in early Chola inscriptions. The shrines of these are generally termed tirumurram. But sometimes, when they are structures, well endowed and