Badi Mata/Chamariya Mata
is a
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
A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...
of disease, one of a group of seven sister goddesses with similar associations. Chamariya Mata/Badi Mata is doubtless allied to Chamars.
Badi Mata is worshipped by some tribes in
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, such as the
Saharia,
Chamar
Chamar (or Jatav) is a community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's Reservation in India, system of affirmative action that originated from the group of trade persons who were involved in leather tanning and shoemaking. They a ...
and the Kamar.
Her worshippers believe that her wrath causes people to suffer from
smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
.
The worshippers sacrifice goats to appease her.
Badi Mata's sisters were
Sitala Mata,
Phul Mata,
Pansahi Mata,
Gusulia Mata,
Kankar Mata, and
Malbal.
She was also associated with Choti Mata, who is associated with
chicken pox
Chickenpox, also known as varicella ( ), is a highly contagious disease caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), a member of the herpesvirus family. The disease results in a characteristic skin rash that forms small, itchy blisters, which ...
, and Sendri Mata who is associated with
measles
Measles (probably from Middle Dutch or Middle High German ''masel(e)'', meaning "blemish, blood blister") is a highly contagious, Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by Measles morbillivirus, measles v ...
.
References
Hindu goddesses
{{Hindu-myth-stub