Annapoorna Devi
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Annapurna, Annapurneshwari, Annada or Annapoorna (
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
: अन्नपूर्णा,
IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...
: Annapūrṇā, lit. ''filled with or possessed of food'') is a manifestation of
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
and is known as the
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 ...
goddess of food and feeding. Worship and offering of food are highly praised in Hinduism, and therefore, the goddess Annapurna is regarded as a popular deity. She is a manifestation of the goddess
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
, the paredra of
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
, and is eulogized in the '' Annada Mangal'', a narrative poem in Bengali by Bharatchandra Ray. The ''Annapurna Sahasranam'' is dedicated to the goddess and praises her one thousand names, while the ''Annapurna Shatanama Stotram'' is dedicated to her 108 names. A few temples exist that are dedicated to her, some of the most prominent being the Annapoorneshwari Temple established by
Agastya Agastya was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the Indian tradition, he is a noted recluse and an influential scholar in diverse languages of the Indian subcontinent. He is regarded in some traditions to be a Chiranjivi. He and his wife ...
at Horanadu and Annapurna Devi Mandir in
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
. Since
Akshaya Tritiya Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akti or Akha Teej, is an annual Jain and Hindu spring festival. It falls on the third ''tithi'' (lunar day) of the bright half (''Shukla Paksha'') of the Hindu month of Vaisakha. This day is auspicious for those ...
is considered to be the birthdate of Annapurna, the day is believed to be very auspicious for buying gold jewellery.


Etymology

Annapurna is derived from
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
meaning ''the giver of food and nourishment''. ''Anna'' (अन्न) means "food" or "grains" and ''pūrṇa'' (पूर्ण) means "full, complete and perfect." It is believed that Mount
Annapurna Annapurna (; ) is a mountain situated in the Annapurna mountain range of Gandaki Province, north-central Nepal. It is the 10th highest mountain in the world at above sea level and is well known for the difficulty and danger involved in its as ...
in the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
is named after her as the goddess is believed to be one of the daughters of
Himavat Himavat () is the personification of the Himalayan mountains in Hinduism. He is the guardian deity of the Himalayas, and finds mention in the epic '' Mahabharata'' and other Hindu scriptures. Nomenclature Various Hindu scriptures refer to th ...
, the king of the mountains. The Western world names her the "Hindu God of Cooking," considering her association with food items. The other names of Annapurna are: * '' Viśālākshī'' (Sanskrit: विशालाक्षी) – ''she who has large eyes''. * ''Viśvaśakti'' (Sanskrit: विश्वशक्ति) – ''world power''. * ''Viśvamātā'' (Sanskrit: विश्वमाता) – ''mother of the world''. * ''Sṛṣtihetukāvaradānī'' (Sanskrit: सृष्टिहेतुकावरदानी) – ''she who is a boon granter for the sake of the world''. * ''Bhuvaneśvarī'' (Sanskrit: भुवनेश्वरी) – ''goddess of earth''. * ''Renu'' – ''goddess of Atom''. * ''Annadā'' (Sanskrit: अन्नदा) – ''donor of food''.


Iconography

The
Agamas Religion *Āgama (Buddhism), a collection of Early Buddhist texts *Āgama (Hinduism), scriptures of several Hindu sects *Jain literature (Jain Āgamas), various canonical scriptures in Jainism Other uses * ''Agama'' (lizard), a genus of lizards ...
(religious texts) describe the iconography of Annapurna as a youthful goddess having red complexion with a face round like the full moon, three eyes, high breasts, and four hands. The lower left hand is depicted as holding a vessel full of delicious porridge. The right hand with a golden ladle adorned with various jewels. The other two hands depict the abhaya and varada poses. She is depicted with wristlets and golden jewelry on her chest. She is seated on a throne with the crescent moon adorning her head. P. 2001, p. 19 In some depictions, Shiva is shown standing to her right with a begging bowl, begging her for alms. P. 2001, p. 20


Literary sources

Annapurna is mentioned in Hindu religious texts such as the ''Rudrayamala'', ''Sivarahasya'', ''Annapurnamantratsava'', ''Maha Tripurasiddhanta'', ''Annapurna Kavacha'', ''Annapurnahavamti'', ''Annapurnamalininaksatramalika,'' and ''Bhairvahyantantra''. The '' Kumara Sambhavam'' by
Kalidasa Kālidāsa (, "Servant of Kali"; 4th–5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. His plays and poetry are primarily based on Hindu Puranas and philosophy. His surviv ...
makes vivid mention about Varanasi and the deity Annapurna. The goddess is also described as the source of knowledge and the main deity in the Annapurna Upanishad, which is considered a minor Upanishad among the 108 Upanishads. In this text, praying to Annapurna is the means by which the sage Ribhu attains knowledge. The ''
Devi Bhagavata The Devi Bhagavata Purana (, '), also known as the Devi Purana or simply Devi Bhagavatam, is one of the eighteen Mahapurana (Hinduism), Mahapuranas as per Shiva Purana of Hinduism. Composed in Sanskrit language, Sanskrit by Vyasa, Veda Vyasa ...
'' written during the 3rd and 4th centuries CE refers to Annapurna as the goddess of
Kanchipuram Kanchipuram (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: '; ), also known as Kanjeevaram, is a stand alone city corporation, satellite nodal city of Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, from ...
and Vishalakshi as the goddess of Varanasi. The ''
Skanda Purana The ''Skanda Purana'' ( IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest '' Mukhyapurāṇa'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Shaivite literature, titled after Skanda, a son of Shiva and Parv ...
,'' written during the 7th century, states the sage
Vyasa Vyasa (; , ) or Veda Vyasa (, ), also known as Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Vyasa (, ''Vedavyāsa''), is a ''rishi'' (sage) with a prominent role in most Hindu traditions. He is traditionally regarded as the author of the epic Mahabharata, Mah ...
was led to Varanasi by a curse, and Annapurna came as a homemaker and offered him food. The ''
Linga Purana The ''Linga Purana'' (लिङ्गपुराण, IAST: ) is one of the eighteen '' Mahapuranas'', and a ''Shaivism'' text of Hinduism. The text's title '' Linga'' refers to the iconographical symbol for Shiva. The author(s) and date of the ...
'' mentions that Shiva was begging for food for his children as he could not get food in the world due to a miracle created by his consort Parvati. Parvati came out as Annapurna and offered food to Shiva at his doorsteps. The legend of Kashi Viswanath Temple in Varanasi is associated with the story that Shiva built the temple there in her honour. P. 2001, p. 18 The mention of Annapurna is also found in ''Kumara Sambhava'', a Telugu literature, by Nannechola, a Shaiva poet of the 12th century. There is also a mention of the deity in ''Kasikhanda'' by Srinatha, a Telugu poet of the 13th century.


Legend

One day, the god Shiva and his consort Parvati got into an argument about the material world. Shiva said that everything materialistic was just an illusion, including the food that the humans ate. This infuriated Parvati, who governs materialistic aspects. To show Shiva and the world her importance, she disappeared, saying that she wanted to see how the world would survive without her. With Parvati's disappearance, the world was deprived of food, and there occurred a famine. Shiva's followers begged him for food; even the Gods were forced to beg for food, but could not find any food. Finally, Shiva and his followers realised that there was only one kitchen on earth, in the city of
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
(Kashi), where food was still available. Shiva went to Kashi to beg for food. To his surprise, the kitchen was owned by his wife Parvati, but in the form of Annapurna. She wore celestial purple and brown garments, which were lightly adorned with ornaments. She was seated on a throne, serving and distributed food to the starving gods and hungry inhabitants of the earth. Annapurna offered her food as alms to Shiva and made him realize that as Brahman, Shiva might have outgrown hunger; but his followers had not.


Worship

Food is considered sacred in Hinduism, and prayers are offered before consuming it. The person who identifies the importance of ''Annam'' (food) within the five layers of the body helps carry life in the worldly process and subsequently seeks to identify
Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' (; IAST: ''Brahman'') connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality of the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part XII In the ...
, the enlightenment. Annadana, the donation of food, is highly praised in Hinduism. The importance of Annadana is prescribed in the ''Vishnu Dharamottara'', ''
Agni Purana The ''Agni Purana'', (, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. The text is variously classified as a Purana related to Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism, but also considered as a text that covers them ...
'', ''
Padma Purana The ''Padma Purana'' (, or ) is one of the eighteen Puranas#Mahapuranas, Major Puranas, a genre of texts in Hinduism. It is an encyclopedic text, named after the lotus in which creator god Brahma appeared, and includes large sections dedic ...
'', '' Kurma Purana'', ''Nandi Purana,'' and ''
Vayu Purana The ''Vayu Purana'' (, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. ''Vayu Purana'' is mentioned in the manuscripts of the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts, which has led scholars to propose that the text is among the ...
''. P. 2001, p. 17 Annapurna is worshipped through the recitation of her thousand names and her one hundred and eight names. The '' Annapurna Stotra'' composed by
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (8th c. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya (, ), was an Indian Vedanga, Vedic scholar, Hindu philosophy, philosopher and teacher (''acharya'') of Advaita Vedanta. Reliable information on Shankara's actual life is scant, and h ...
extols her attributes and is chanted by devotees. In Marathi weddings, the bride is given metal idols of Annapurna and Bala Krishna by her mother. She worships them before the wedding, by offering rice and grains to the idols. This viddhi (custom) is known as Gauri Harap. She also takes images of her husband's house and places the idols on them.


Temples

Though Annapurna is a popular deity, there are few temples dedicated to her. * Annapurna Devi Mandir dedicated to Annapurna is in
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
, U.P. Annapurna is the Goddess of the city of Kashi (Varanasi), where she is regarded as the queen of Varanasi alongside her consort Vishweshwar (Shiva), the King of Varanasi. In the temple, at noon every day, prasad (foods offered to the goddess) are distributed to the elderly and disabled. During
Navaratri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and aga ...
, food is distributed on a larger scale. * In
West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...
, the ShivaShakti Annapurna temple in
Barrackpore Barrackpore (), also known as Barrackpore,is a city and municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the India, Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Barrackpore subdivision. The city is a part of the area covered by Ko ...
was built by Rani Rashmoni's daughter Jagadamba Devi in 1875. This temple was modeled after the famous Dakshineswar Kali Temple. * In
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...
, Annapurna Mandir (Temple) is located near Lal Bagh Palace in Indore. * Annapoorneshwari Temple, is situated at Horanadu in the Western Ghats,
Chikkamagaluru Chikmagalur (officially Chikkamagaluru, ), previously known as ''Kiriya-Muguli'' is a city and the headquarters of Chikmagalur district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the foothills of the Mullayanagiri, Mullayanagiri peak of the We ...
of
Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...
, where afternoon and evening prayers are held after the devotees are fed. * In
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
, there is a temple in Chalappally village by the name Kunnam Annapoorneswari Devi Temple. * A temple of the goddess is in Cherukunnu,
Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and Municipal corporation (India), municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the maj ...
,
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
by the name Annapurneshwari Temple, Cherukunnu. * In Puducode town of Kerala, there is Puducode Annapoorneswari Temple, where the grand celebration of
Navaratri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and aga ...
held yearly with grand feast, which is crowded by thousands of devotees from all around the globe, those who have migrated and settled elsewhere. * In
Thodupuzha Thodupuzha () is a municipality and taluk in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. It is located west of the district headquarters in Painavu and about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Thodupu ...
town, there is Thachukuzhikavu Annapoorneswari-Bhadrakali-Navagraha Temple. * In
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
, several temples exist dedicated to the goddess, notable among them are: Odhanavaneswarar Temple, Tiruchotruturai, a temple for Annapurna constructed near Watrap,
Virudhunagar Virudhunagar is a city and the administrative headquarter of the Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located southwest of the state capital Chennai and south of Madurai. Virudhunagar emerged as an important trade c ...
, on the way to Saduragiri the temple is distinct, being in the form of an eight-sided pyramid. Another prominent temple is situated in
Coimbatore district Coimbatore District is one of the 38 districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Coimbatore is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is one of the most industrialized districts and a major textile, industrial, commercial, educa ...
. Additionally, a temple named Andakasieswari is currently under construction at Achangudi near Tiruvadanai Town in
Ramanathapuram district Ramanathapuram District, also known as Ramnad District, is one of the 38 administrative districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The old Ramanathapuram District consists of Present day Virudhunagar and Sivagangai districts, it touches th ...
. * A temple is under construction at Pathikonda,
Kurnool district Kurnool district is one of the eight districts in the Rayalaseema region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh after the districts are reorganised in April 2022. It is located in the north western part of the state and is bounded by Nandyal d ...
,
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...
. * In
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
, her temples are found in Jafferguda. * Her temples are there in
Jalandhar Jalandhar () is a city in the state of Punjab, India, Punjab in India. With a considerable population, it ranks as the List of cities in Punjab and Chandigarh by population, third most-populous city in the state and is the largest city in the ...
and
Bhatinda Bathinda is a city and municipal corporation in Punjab, India, Punjab, India. The city is the administrative headquarters of Bathinda district. It is located in northwestern India in the Malwa (Punjab), Malwa Region, west of the capital city o ...
in
Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
. * In
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, her temples are found in Bhandara and Akola. One of the temple is located in Manegaon of
Solapur Solapur () is a city located in the south-western region of the States and Territories of India, Indian state of Maharashtra, close to its border with Karnataka. Solapur is located on major highway, rail routes between Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore ...
District * Her temples are also found in
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
. In Unjha,
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
, she is worshipped in as Umiya Mata. Some people in
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
and
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
also consider Ashapura Mata as an incarnation of Annapurna Mata. In
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
, her temples are found in Mishroli village in Jhalawar district and Kagdara village in
Pali district Pali district is a district in Rajasthan, India. The city of Pali is its administrative headquarters. Pali is also known as the Industrial/Textile City and has been a hub for merchant activities for centuries. It has a rich heritage and culture ...
. There is one temple of Annapurna Mata in
Chittor Fort Chittorgarh (literally Chittor Fort), also known as Chittod Fort, is one of the largest forts in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort was the capital of Mewar and is located in the present-day city of Chittorgarh. It sprawls ove ...
. It was built by Maharana Hamir Singh. There are other temples in the fort near the Annapurna Mata temple, which are dedicated to Baan Mata, Charbhuja, and Lakshmi-Narayan. On the top of the Ramgarh hill, Rajasthan, Kisnai, and Annapurna Devi temples are situated in the natural cave. Another temple is i
Irinjalakuda Kunjilikattil Annapoorneswari Temple
. This is a family temple of local exhaust community where the rituals are done by Brahmin priests * In Asan, Kathmandu
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
, there is also a temple dedicated to goddess Annapurna in her Purna Kalash form.


See also

* Annada Mangal *
Ukemochi , commonly known as , the daughter of the Shinto deities Izanagi and Izanami, is a goddess of food in the Shinto religion of Japan. In some differing interpretations, Ukemochi is referred to as both male and female. When shown in other forms, Ukemo ...
; the Japanese ''Shinto'' goddess of food.


Notes


References

* * * *


External links


boloji.com story

hinduslokas.recruitmentindia.in story
.
ShivaShakti Annapurna Temple, Barrackpore, West Bengal
{{Shaktism Hindu goddesses Forms of Parvati Mother goddesses Food deities Food goddesses