The Intersection of Gender and Divinity: A Study on Ottathi Worship and Tamil Folk Practices

Abstract

Minor deity worship refers to the practice of worshipping local deities. There are many types of minor deity worship, such as household deity worship, clan deity worship, ethnic deity worship, village deity worship, and mass deity worship. There is no universally accepted definition of this system of worshipping deities. Palayamkottai taluk is one of the eight taluks in Tirunelveli district, and it contains 41 villages. One of these villages is Thiruvannanathapuram Pottal. “Pottal” is the colloquial name, but in government records, the town is referred to as Thiruvannanathapuram. The Ottanayakkars, a group that migrated from Salem district to the north of Palayamkottai, have been living in this area for around 600 years. The Ottathi is a woman from the Ottanayakkar dynasty. This paper provides a detailed description of the identity of the Ottathi and the worship associated with her.