Tamil Village Deities and Agamic Rules: A Guide for Archaeological Research

A shrine for Saptha Kanni Devis. Click here for source.

The worship of local deities has always been an integral part of Tamil Nadu’s cultural and spiritual landscape. Among the most common are the Saptamatha (Seven Mothers) or Saptakanni, Ayyanar or Sasta, and Mudevi or Jyestha. These deities often represent protective, fertility, or disciplinary forces in rural life, balancing prosperity with reminders of misfortune and restraint.

Although Ayyanar and the Sapthamathas continue to be prominent, the worship of Mudevi gradually became less common. Today, her attributes and symbolism are preserved indirectly. Within Śākta traditions she is revered as Dhumavati, while in broader Hindu practice she is often replaced by the propitiation of Sani Bhagawan. A striking continuity connects these three deities: the crow. The crow serves as their shared symbol, representing detachment, karmic lessons, and reminders of misfortune. This shows how symbols preserve cultural memory even when direct worship of a deity diminishes.

The placement of shrines in Tamil villages was never accidental. The Kāmika Āgama, one of the most important Śaiva Agamas, contains instructions on where particular deities should be placed in relation to human settlements. Guardian deities are stationed at the boundaries, mother goddesses at crossroads, and deities associated with inauspiciousness are positioned away from the village center. Such arrangements reflect deliberate architectural and cosmological planning.

This knowledge carries valuable implications for archaeology. Researchers studying ancient settlements in Tamil Nadu should also familiarize themselves with the Agamas, since many communities likely followed these ritual guidelines when organizing their villages. Awareness of these patterns can help archaeologists make informed predictions about the possible locations of shrines, ritual spaces, and sacred boundaries.

Understanding the Agamas does not simply add a layer of religious study. It provides archaeologists with a method to interpret the landscape in the same way ancient people perceived it, allowing for more accurate insights into their social and spiritual life.

Chapter 26 (Kamika Agama)
Directions for Allocation of Appropriate Places for the Deities in Villages and Other Settlements 

26.7

varunyam nairrtavindre sastr sthanam prakirtitam varunyam vatha nairrtyam vayusomantare athavaanyatra ganesasya sthanamuktam ihagame

The location for the shrine of Sasta should be in the west or south-west or east. In this Agama it is maintained that the location for the shrine of Ganesa should be in the west or south-west or between the north-west and the north. Or, the location for Ganesa may be in other directions also.

26.9

aisanyam somabhage vatayormadhye tu matarah agneyyam motikasthanam kamadevasya tatra vai

The shrine for the Saptamatrikas (Seven Mother Goddesses) is to be in the north-east or north or in between the north-east and the north. The location for the shrine of the Goddess Motika (a form of Kali) is to be in the south-east. The same location is recommended for the shrine of Kamadeva (Manmatha).

26.10

jyestha puskaran itire sthapyanyatra bahistu va kama bhaskarayor vastu sanmukhasthanam ucyate

The Goddess Jyestha is to be installed near the bank of the temple tank; or, may be installed in some other place outside the temple. The location allocated for Skanda is also applicable to Kamadeva and Surya (Sun).

26.14

subrahmanyarcanam nityam balanam hitakrdbhavetsastr puja svakrtyesu niyunkte vastu vasinah

The daily worship of Subrahmanya (Skanda) will bring into effect all the best things to the youngsters. The worship of Sasta inspires and impels the people of the village to accomplish the works undertaken by them.

26.16

pujitacen mahamoti balaroga vinasni sarvasiddhiravighnena vighnesasya sapryaya

If Moti (a form of Kali Sakti) is duly worshipped, She becomes favorably disposed to ward off the diseases which afflict the children. By the worship of Lord Ganesa all the works undertaken by the people get accomplished without any impediment.

Direct Reference To Sanskrit by Appar

The Tamil Nayanmar Thirunavukarasar @ Appar, was not only fond of Tamil but also Sanskrit. He gave importance to both languages. We have evidence from the Thirumurai to prove this. 

Hymn #2552, Chapter Thiruvavaduthurai, 6th Thirumurai

பந்து அணவு மெல்விரலாள் பாகன்தன்னை,
பாடலோடு ஆடல் பயின்றான்தன்னை,
கொந்து அணவு நறுங்கொன்றைமாலையானை,
கோல மா நீலமிடற்றான்தன்னை,
செந்தமிழோடு ஆரியனை, சீரியானை,
திருமார்பில் புரிவெண்னூல் திகழப் பூண்ட
அந்தணனை, ஆவடுதண்துறையுள் மேய
அரன் அடியே அடினாயேன் அடைந்து உய்ந்தேனே!

pantu aṇavu melviralāḷ pākaṉtaṉṉai,
pāṭalōṭu āṭal payiṉṟāṉtaṉṉai,
kontu aṇavu naṟuṅkoṉṟaimālaiyāṉai,
kōla mā nīlamiṭaṟṟāṉtaṉṉai,
centamiḻōṭu āriyaṉai, cīriyāṉai,
tirumārpil puriveṇnūl tikaḻap pūṇṭa
antaṇaṉai, āvaṭutaṇtuṟaiyuḷ mēya
araṉ aṭiyē aṭināyēṉ aṭaintu uyntēṉē!

Translation : He is concorporate with Her whose soft fingers sport a ball; He is the Master of song and dance; His is a wreath of fragrant konrai growing in bunches; Beauteous is His throat with the blue hue; He is Chaste Tamil as well as Sanskrit; He is the glorious One; He is the Brahmin (Anthanar) who wears on His divine chest, The sacred thread (Poonol); He is Hara that presides over Aavaduthurai; I, the lowly, reached His feet and stand redeemed.

Hymn #2946, Chapter Thirusivapuram, 6th Thirumurai.

வானவன்காண் வானவர்க்கும் மேல் ஆனான்காண்
வடமொழியும் தென்தமிழும் மறைகள் னான்கும்
ஆனவன்காண் ஆன் ஐந்தும் ஆடினான்காண்
ஐயன்காண் கையில் அனல் ஏந்தி ஆடும்
கானவன்காண் கானவனுக்கு அருள்செய்தான்காண்
கருதுவார் இதயத்துக்கமலத்து ஊறும்
தேன் அவன்காண் சென்று அடையாச் செல்வன் தான்காண்
சிவன் அவன்காண் சிவபுரத்து எம் செல்வன்தானே.

vāṉavaṉkāṇ vāṉavarkkum mēl āṉāṉkāṇ
vaṭamoḻiyum teṉtamiḻum maṟaikaḷ nāṉkum
āṉavaṉkāṇ āṉ aintum āṭiṉāṉkāṇ
aiyaṉkāṇ kaiyil aṉal ēnti āṭum
kāṉavaṉkāṇ kāṉavaṉukku aruḷceytāṉkāṇ
karutuvār itayattukkamalattu ūṟum
tēṉ avaṉkāṇ ceṉṟu aṭaiyāc celvaṉ tāṉkāṇ
civaṉ avaṉkāṇ civapurattu em celvaṉtāṉē.

Translation: He is of the empyrean; He is far above the celestials; He became Sanskrit, Tamil of the South and the four Vedas; He bathes in the Pancha-kavya; He is the Lord; He is a forester who holds fire in His palm and dances; He graced the forester; He is the honey that gushes from the lotus-hearts of the meditators; He is the opulent One of infinite riches; He is Siva; He is our opulent Lord of Sivapuram.

You would have noticed that in #2946, Appar also referred to Siva as the 4 Vedas. There are also other references to Vedas in the hymns composed by Appar. We will look at it under a separate posting in the future. 

Based on Appar's teachings, it is quite clear that both Sanskrit and Tamil are important for Saivism. Appar even declared that both Sanskrit and Tamil represents Siva peruman. It will be good for Saivas to learn and understand both languages for their own benefit in pursuit of spiritualism.