Ajima (

Nepal Bhasa Newar (; , ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhas ...

:अजिमा) is a group of goddesses of the

Newar Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguisti ...

pantheon. These goddesses are respected by all sects and castes of Newars, both from

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

and

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

religion. If we look Ajimas from sky, they look like a sword. So, it is said that the Ajimas protect Kathmandu Valley.

Etymology

The word "Ajima" comes from two

words, "Aji" meaning grandmother and "Ma" meaning mother. This deity represents all the female ancestors of Newar who have been deified under the influence of the

Shaktism Shaktism () is a major Hindu denomination in which the God in Hinduism, deity or metaphysics, metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically to be a woman. Shaktism involves a galaxy of goddesses, all regarded as different aspects, mani ...

branch of

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

and

Vajrayana Buddhism ''Vajrayāna'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhyamantrayāna ('secret mantra vehicle'), Tantrayāna ('tantra vehicle'), Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition that emp ...

History

Newar society was a matriarchial society initially.Page 11, Jigu lumantie yen de mhigah wa thaun by Tirtha Narayan Manandhar, During that era, Ajimas were the most respected deities. Even after the addition of other indigenous deities e.g.- Majipa Lakhey, Lokeshwars (e.g.- Janabahadya), Kumari and other deities of Hindu and Buddhist religions, the deity is still considered of primary importance by Newars.

Influence

These deities are revered by both Hindus and Buddhists. She is regarded as the protector of children as well. The core city of Kathmandu (which was the city built by planners of Gunakamdev, the founder of Kathmandu), has eight Ajima temples strategically situated at the peripheries of the city. These temples of Ajima used to contain army barracks (the army headquarters is still at the side of Lunmari Ajima aka Bhadrakali). So, these Ajima temples are believed to be protectors of cities as well. The eight Ajimas or Astha Matrika (eight matriarchs) of Kathmandu are as follows- *Pasikwa Ajima/ Brahmayani (Kamalādī, behind Tīndhārā Pāṭhśālā) *Lunmari Ajima/ Bhadrakali *Fibwa Ajima/ varahi *Nai Ajima/ Vaishnavi (Pacalī) *Kanga Ajima/ Chamunda *Lunti Ajima/ Indrayani *Thanbahi Ajima/ Jati Ajima /Thamel *Chandralakhu Ajima/ Mahalaxmi *Phisa Ajima/ Mhepi ajima (Panga)/ maheswari or Rudrayani

References

Newar {{nepal-culture-stub

Etymology

History

Influence

See also

References