# Kuladevata

A kuladevata or Kuldevi (Sanskrit: कुलदेवता or कुलदेवी, romanized: Kuladevatā or Kuladevī, lit. 'clan deity'), also known as a kuladaivaṃ (Tamil: குலதெய்வம்), is an ancestral tutelary deity in Hinduism and Jainism.
Such a deity is often the object of one's devotion (bhakti), and is coaxed to watch over one's clan (kula), gotra, family, and children from misfortune. This is distinct from an ishta-devata (personal tutelar) and a grāmadevatā (village deities).
Male kuladevatas are sometimes referred to as a kuladeva, while their female counterparts are called a kuladevi.

## Etymology

The word kuladevata is derived from two words: kula, meaning clan, and devata, meaning deity, referring to the ancestral deities that are worshipped by particular clans.

## Veneration

Kuladaivams of the Shaiva tradition are often considered to be forms of Shiva and Parvati, while those of the Vaishnava tradition are often regarded to be forms of Vishnu and Lakshmi.
Due to the veneration of holy men (babas) in several regions of the subcontinent, several communities consider such men to be their kuladevatas in the place of a deity.
In western India, some communities regard local monarchs who belonged to their clan to be their kuladevata.

## List

The following is a non-exhaustive list of the various kuladevatas revered in different regions of the Indian subcontinent:

### Nepal

The kuldevata (Nepali: Kuldeuta कुलदेउता) in many hilly Nepalese families are often local deities worshipped by the people before the arrival of Hinduism in the region. For those of Khas descent, this is often the 12 Masto gods or one of the 9 Durga Bhawanis, which include:
* Adi Masto
* Bawira Masto
* Dare Masto
* Kamal Masto
* Leudi Masto
* Rumal Masto
* Channa Masto
* Winayak Masto
* Khapar Masto
* Kala Shree Masto

### Himachal Pradesh

* Kamrunag devta
* Murai Mata

#### Uttar Pradesh

Some of the Primary Kuladevatas of Uttar Pradesh include:
* Shiva
* Durga
* Kali
* Bhairava
* Hanuman
* Krishna
* Shitala
* Gogaji
* Kalwa Pawan
* Lalita Masani
* Shyam Baba
* Sabal Singh Bawri
* Kesarmal Bawri
* Nathia Chowki
* Pittar (Ancestors)
* Brahm Baba

### Southern India
#### Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana include:
* Venkateswara
* Vasavi Kanyaka Parameshvari
* Narasimha
* Mallanna, also known as Khandoba
* Nimishamba

#### Karnataka

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Karnataka include:
* Chennakeshava
* Virupaksha
* Narasimha
* Renuka

#### Tulu Nadu

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Tulu Nadu include:
* Naga/Naga Bermeru
* Panjurli
* Mahakali
* Lakkesiri
* Jumadi
* Guliga

#### Kerala

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Kerala include:
* Padmanabhaswamy
* Guruvayurappan
* Bhadrakali
* Rakteswari
* Vettakkorumakan
* Narayani
* Lakshmi-Narayana
* Narasimha
* Ganesha
* Ayyappan
* Navadurga
* Damodara
* Shasta

#### Tamil Nadu

Some of the primary kuladevatas of Tamil Nadu include:
* Annanmar Thangal
* Shastha
* Kurathiamman
* Ellamman
* Kamakshi
* Angalamman
* Kala Bhairavar
* Narasimha
* Bhadrakali
* Kallalagar
* Mariamman
* Thillai Kali
* Karuppu Sami
* Veeramaathi Amman
* Kodaiyalappan
* Pavadairayan
* Renukamba
* Pachchaiamman
* Draupadi Amman
* Peradachiyamman
* Periyandichiyamman
* Marudhaiyan
* Madurai Veeran
* Muneeshvarar
* Maada saamy
* Thalavai Nalla Maada saamy
* Ayyanar
* Murugan
* Veerabhadrar
* Periandavar
* Sudalaimadan
* Nondi Veeran
* Kateri Amman
* Sapta Kanni
* Sankara Narayana

### Western India
#### Maharashtra

The kuladevatas worshipped in Maharashtra include:
* Ambabai, also called Mahalakshmi of Kolhapur
* Vajreshwari
* Tulja Bhavani
* Virabhadra of Mukhed.
* Ekvira at Karla
* Khandoba of Jejuri
* Jyotiba near Kolhapur
* Khandoba of Pali
* Lakshmi-Narasimha of Nira Narsingpur
* Mandhradevi near Wai
* Renuka of Mahur
* Vasavi Mata
* Vyadeshwar
* Yamai of Aundh
* Yogeshwari of Ambejogai
* Venkateswara of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh
* Saptashrungi of Vani, Nashik
* Mahalakshmi of Ganoja, Bhatkuli, (Amravati)
* Chandrala Parameshwari of Sannati

#### Konkan

The kuladevatas venerated in the Konkan region include:
* Aryadurga
* Bhagavati
* Chamundeshwari
* Damodar
* Devaki-Krishna
* Gajantalakshmi
* Ekvira
* Jaganmata
* Kamakshi
* Mallikarjuna
* Maha Ganapathi Mahammaya
* Mahalakshmi
* Mahalasa
* Mahamaya
* Mahamaya Kalika
* Mangeshi
* Nageshi
* Kali
* Waghjai
* Lakshmi-Narasimha
* Navadurga
* Ramnath
* Ravalnath
* Saptakoteshwar
* Shantadurga
* Sharwani Vetal
* Vijayadurga
* Vimleshwar
* Vetala
* Rameshwar
* Mauli
* Venkataraman

#### Gujarat and Rajasthan

The kuladevatas worshipped in Gujarat and Rajasthan include:
* Arasuri Ambaji
* Ashapura Mata
* Baba Mohan Rama
* Baba Ramdevji
* Suswani Mata
* Momai Mata
* Bhadrakali
* Bhagwati Maa
* Bhatiji Maharaj
* Brahmani Mata
* Chamunda Mata
* Dada Jasraj
* Eklingji
* Dev Narain
* Gajanan Mata
* Gogaji
* Vitthalanatha
* Harkor
* Harsidhhi Mata
* Hinglaj Mata
* Jeen Mata
* Kaila Devi
* Mahakali Mata
* Mahalakshmi Mata
* Manasa Devi
* Meldi Maa
* Modheswari
* Nagnechiya Maa
* Pabuji
* Rana Jashraj
* Sachiya Mata
* Sati Mata
* Tanot Mata
* Tulja Bhavani
* Vachra Dada
* Varahi Mata
* Veer Teja
* Vindhya
* Umiya Mata

### Eastern India / Nepal (Terai Belt, Southern Nepal)

Bihar
In Bihar, the following deities are worshipped as kuladevatas:
Bihar asthana kayasth ki kuldeviya. Banni mata, durga mata, shiv ji , hanuman ji, batuk Bhairav ji
* Banni Mata
* Durga Mata
* Maha Kali
* Maha Lakshmi
* Maha sarswati
* sokha baba
* Shiv ji
* Hanuman Ji
* Batuk bhairav
* Goraiya baba

#### Bengal

In Bengal, the following deities are venerated as kuladevatas:
* Kali
* Durga
* Shiva
* Parvati
* Jagadhatri
* Narayana
* Krishna
* Lakshmi-Narayana
* Shitala
* Chandi
* Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
* Manasa

### Sri Lanka

The following is a list of kuladevatas venerated in Sri Lanka:
* Nayinai Nagapoosani
* Nallur Murugan
* Keerimalai Naguleswaram Temple
* Thirukketheeswaram
* Thirukonamalai KonEesar Temple