Banai (goddess)
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Banai ( , sometimes बानाई), also known as Banu (Bāṇu, बानू) and Banu- bai (Bāṇu-bāī, बानू-बाई), is a
Hindu goddess Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Deities in Hinduism are as diverse as its traditions, and a Hindu can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, even agnostic, atheistic, or humanist. Julius J. Lip ...
and the second wife of
Khandoba Khandoba (IAST: Khaṇḍobā), also known as Martanda Bhairava and Malhari, is a Hindu deity worshiped generally as a manifestation of Shiva mainly in the Deccan Plateau of India, especially in the state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. He ...
, a form of the god
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 ...
worshipped in the
Deccan The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula. It stretches from the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound by the mount ...
– predominantly in the Indian states of
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 ...
and
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 ...
. Khandoba is portrayed as a king of
Jejuri Jejuri (Marathi pronunciation: ͡ʒed͡zuɾiː is a city and a municipal council in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Khandoba Mandir is an important Hindu temple to the Hindu Lord Khandoba, one of the most visited tirtha (holy pla ...
, where his chief temple stands. Some traditions do not give her the status of a legal wife and treat her as a
concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...
of Khandoba. While scriptures related to Khandoba do not mention Banai, she is a central subject of folk songs. Banai is considered a
Dhangar The Dhangars are caste of people found in the Indian states of Maharashtra, northern Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh . They are referred to as Gavli Dhangars in northern Maharashtra ( Khandesh region) and the forested hill tracts of India's We ...
, a sheep herding
caste A caste is a Essentialism, fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (en ...
, and is sometimes regarded to be of celestial origin. Oral traditions chiefly discuss the tale of her marriage to Khandoba and her conflicts with his first wife
Mhalsa Mhalsa (Marathi: म्हाळसा IAST: Mhāḷasā), also spelled as Mhalasa or Mahalasa, महालसा is a Hindu goddess. Mhalsa is worshipped as the consort of the folk god Khandoba, a form of the god Shiva. In this tradition, she is ...
. Banai is an antithesis of Mhalsa; together they complete the god. Banai is generally depicted with Khandoba and often is also accompanied by Mhalsa. Banai does not enjoy independent worship, but is worshipped as Khandoba's consort in most of his temples. She is the patron goddess of the Dhangar community and is worshipped as a protector of their herds.


Development and symbolism

Though Khandoba is a god with five wives, his first two consorts
Mhalsa Mhalsa (Marathi: म्हाळसा IAST: Mhāḷasā), also spelled as Mhalasa or Mahalasa, महालसा is a Hindu goddess. Mhalsa is worshipped as the consort of the folk god Khandoba, a form of the god Shiva. In this tradition, she is ...
and Banai are the most important. The tale of the King or god with two wives is retold with some variation across India:
Murugan Kartikeya (/ kɑɾt̪ɪkejə/; ), also known as Skanda ( /skən̪d̪ə/), Subrahmanya (/ sʊbɾəɦməɲjə/, /ɕʊ-/), Shanmukha ( /ɕɑnmʊkʰə/) and Murugan (/ mʊɾʊgən/), is the Hindu god of war. He is generally described as the ...
and his wives
Devasena Devasena (, , ) is the Hindu goddess of aspirations, and the consort of the war god Kartikeya (Murugan). She is also known as Devayanai, Deivanai, and Deivayanai in Tamil texts. Her name is also spelled as Teyvanai or Tevayanai (). Devasen ...
and
Valli Valli () is a devi, Hindu goddess, and the second consort of the deity Murugan. An incarnation of the goddess Sundaravalli, daughter of Vishnu, Valli is born on earth as the daughter of a chieftain, leading a life of a huntress. Murugan, the god ...
;
Venkateswara Venkateswara (, ), also known as Venkatachalapati, Venkata, Balaji and Srinivasa, is a Hindu deity, described as a form or avatar of the god Vishnu. He is the presiding deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. Hi ...
,
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
and Padmavati being some examples. The motif of Shiva and his wives
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
Ganga The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary riv ...
is told in the ''
Purana Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...
s''. The theme of the god marrying a tribal girl like Banai recurs across the
Deccan The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula. It stretches from the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound by the mount ...
region; another example being Valli's marriage to Murugan.Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel pp. 323–4 Deities across the
Deccan The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula. It stretches from the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound by the mount ...
(even extending to
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 ...
and
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 ...
) often have two wives; one wife from a high
caste A caste is a Essentialism, fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (en ...
and another from the lower social strata: a lower caste or a tribal. Khandoba's wives who come from various communities establish cultural linkages of the god to these communities, who worship them as their patron god. While Banai is considered a legal wife of Khandoba in Maharashtra (especially with the
Dhangar The Dhangars are caste of people found in the Indian states of Maharashtra, northern Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh . They are referred to as Gavli Dhangars in northern Maharashtra ( Khandesh region) and the forested hill tracts of India's We ...
s), the
Kuruba Kuruba is a Hindu caste native to the Indian state of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are the third-largest caste group in Karnataka. Traditionally, these are shepherds who used to do the work of sheep/goat and animal ...
s of Karnataka regard her as a
concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...
.Sontheimer in Channa p. 35 While Mhalsa is from the high-caste Lingayat merchant (Vani) community, Banai is described as a Dhangar (shepherd caste), representing the "outside" and associates Khandoba with non-elite herding castes like Dhangars,
Gavli Gavli (also spelled as Gawli or Gavali) ( Marathi: गवळी) is a Hindu caste in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. They are a part of the Yadav community. Etymology The name Gauli may have been derived from a Sanskrit word ...
and Kuruba ( Gowda) who live in the forest. Some traditions consider Banai a Gavli (cowherd caste) or
Koli Koli may refer to: People * Koli people, Indian caste group * Koli Christians, a Christian subgroup * Muslim Kolis, Muslim community * Koli (surname), Indian surname * Koli Sewabu (born 1975), Fijian rugby union footballer Places * Koli, Fin ...
(fisherman caste). In Karnataka, she is called Kurbattyavva and is a Kuruba. Banai is the antithesis of Mhalsa. Mhalsa has a regular ritualistic marriage with Khandoba. Banai, on the other hand, has a love marriage after being captured by the god. Mhalsa is described as pure, jealous and a good cook; Banai is impure, erotic, resolute, but does not even know to cook. Mhalsa represents "culture" while Banai "nature"; together they aid the god-king Khandoba.Sontheimer in Feldhaus, pp. 116–8 The oral legends and texts initiate a process of
Sanskritization Sanskritisation (or Sanskritization) is a term in sociology which refers to the process by which castes or tribes placed lower in the caste hierarchy seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of the dominant castes or upper c ...
of the folk deity Khandoba by elevating him to the classical Hindu god Shiva; his two principal wives Mhalsa and Banai are equated to Parvati and Ganga. Banai does not appear in the
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 ...
''Malhari Mahatmya'', the main scripture related to Khandoba, however it mentions Ganga arriving from heaven. Banai (Ganga) has a quarrel with Mhalsa (Parvati), ultimately ending with the message that both are the same. Some Dhangars consider Banai also to be a form of Parvati. The chief source of legends related to Banai are ''
ovi OVI may refer to: * Ohio Volunteer Infantry, volunteer regiment during the American Civil War * Operating a Vehicle under the Influence (of alcohol and/or drugs) * Optically Variable Ink, anti-counterfeiting measure in currency * Open Verilog In ...
'' (''pada'') or folk songs sung by Vaghyas and Muralis, the male and female bards of Khandoba. They sing at ''
jagran Jagarana (), also rendered Jagran, Jagarata (), and Jaga is a Hindu ritual, practised across the India. It comprises the performance of all-night vigils, as well as puja, songs, and dances for the veneration of a deity. A jagarana is generally ...
''s (a vigil) where the bards sing in praise of Khandoba through the night. The songs talk about the relationship of Khandoba to his consorts and the mutual relationships of the wives. They are centred on Mhalsa and Banai and often narrate about their quarrels.Sontheimer in Feldhaus, p. 115 The tale of the marriage of Khandoba and Banai is a central theme in many Dhangar folk songs. The
Varkari Warkari ( ; Marathi: ; Pronunciation: ; Meaning: 'The one who performs the ''Wari) is a sampradaya (religious movement) within the bhakti spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the Indian state of Maharashtra. Wark ...
saint
Sheikh Muhammad Sheikh Muhammad (1560–1650), also known as Shekh Mahammad (Mohammad), Sayyad Shaikh Mahammad Qadiri, Shaikh Muhammad Shrigondekar (lit. Sheikh Muhammad of Shrigonde), and Sheikh (Shekh) Mahammad-baba, was a Muslim saint-poet who is also vene ...
(1560–1650) disparages Khandoba in his ''Yoga-samgrama'' and calls him the "mad" god that searches for Banai due to "sexual passion", an allusion to the tale of Banai's marriage, indicating that the tale was well-established by this era. According to scholar Günther-Dietz Sontheimer, the legend of Banai has close parallels with the story of King
Dushyanta Dushyanta (, ) is a king of the Chandravamsha (Lunar) dynasty featured in Hindu literature. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of Bharata. He appears in the Mahabharata and in Kalidasa's play, Abhijnanashakuntalam (). Legend Acc ...
and
Shakuntala Shakuntala () is a heroine in ancient Indian literature, best known for her portrayal in the ancient Sanskrit play '' Abhijnanashakuntalam'' (The Recognition of Shakuntala), written by the classical poet Kalidasa in the 4th or 5th century AD ...
from the
Hindu epic Mahākāvya (lit. great kāvya, court epic), also known as ''sargabandha'', is a genre of Indian epic poetry in Classical Sanskrit. The genre is characterised by ornate and elaborate descriptions of phenomena such as scenery, love, and battles. Ty ...
''
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
''. The tale of another folk god Mhaskoba (Bhairava) to gain his wife Balurani or Balai despite obstacles is also similar to Khandoba's endeavour to win over Banai.


Legends

Banai does not appear in the ''Malhari Mahatmya'' originating from the
Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
(high-priest caste) tradition, which glorifies Khandoba as Shiva and de-emphasizes his earthly connections. In contrast, Banai occupies the central position in the Dhangar folk narrative and Mhalsa's marriage to Khandoba is reduced to a passing mention;
Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...
s and other settled castes give more importance to Mhalsa.


Early life

Generally, Banai's birth is not discussed in the folk songs. Few regard her as an avatar of the
apsara Apsaras (, , Khmer language, Khmer: អប្សរា are a class of celestial beings in Hinduism, Hindu and Culture of Buddhism, Buddhist culture. They were originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, but, later play ...
(celestial nymph) Rambha, while others consider her one of the seven daughters of
Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.  volumes Indra is the m ...
, the king of the gods. She is found by a Dhangar in a golden box in the forest, hidden in a termite mound or a pit. Her Dhangar father (sometimes named Yamu) is the chief of shepherds, who owns nine lakh sheep and goats, nine lakh lambs and numerous barren ones. Yamu is said to have prayed for a child and finds Banai in a box. A virgin ewe is said to have fed Banai her milk, as Yamu does not have a wife and does not know how to feed the infant. In another miracle, a three-storeyed house appears at the place of Yamu's tent for the young Banai to reside, while the rest of the Dhangars live in tents. She grows up as a rich shepherdess and becomes the overseer of twelve Dhangar ''vada''s (pastoral settlements or camps, inhabited by different Dhangar clans). She cares for her sheep, grazes them and learns how to breed them.


Marriage

Once, Khandoba and Mhalsa play a game of '' saripat'' (translated as game of dice or chess). Khandoba loses everything to Mhalsa in the wager, except his
dhoti The dhoti is an ankle-length breechcloth, wrapped around the waist and the legs, in resemblance to the shape of trousers. The dhoti is a garment of ethnic wear for men in the Indian subcontinent. The dhoti is fashioned out of a rectangular p ...
, his flag, his staff (wand) and his ''bhandari'', the bag of magical ''bhandara'' (turmeric powder). In a dream, he sees Banai and falls in love with her. He goes on a hunt in the forest, gets away from the army and stays with Banai for twelve years. He marries her in non-ritualistic marriage and brings her back to
Jejuri Jejuri (Marathi pronunciation: ͡ʒed͡zuɾiː is a city and a municipal council in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Khandoba Mandir is an important Hindu temple to the Hindu Lord Khandoba, one of the most visited tirtha (holy pla ...
. A variant describes how Khandoba arrives in Chandanpur on a hunting expedition and becomes thirsty. A Dhangar directs him to Banai's ''vada''. Banai offers him water or sends a pot of water, in which Khandoba reads Banai's name. In another version, the pot with nine jewels is a sign for Khandoba to recognise Banai, the girl he saw in his dream. He falls for her and loses purposefully in ''saripat'' with Mhalsa and accepts a twelve-year exile. In this period, he disguises himself as an impoverished, old leper and becomes a man-servant of Banai's father. Some folk songs have erotic overtones, for example, some songs give erotic descriptions of Banai's beauty which maddens Khandoba. Khandoba is described as doing odd jobs under Banai's orders. Banai first assigns him the task of sweeping the entire ''vada''. He is responsible for cleaning the sheep pens and taking the sheep and lambs for grazing. He completes all tasks by spreading his magical ''bhandara''. The shepherds are astonished how a single old man can handle all the animals. Their vanity is crushed. Banai assigns him the additional responsibility of taking care of five hundred children. She commands if any sheep or lamb is lost or a child cries, she will not give him his food. But Khandoba fulfils the tasks again by spraying his ''bhandara''. She assigns him the job of washing the sheep and lambs. Instead, Khandoba kills all her sheep and lambs to humble the shepherds and Banai. He skins the sheep and separates the meat. A repentant Banai begs his forgiveness; he agrees to revive her flock on the condition that Banai marries him. Khandoba revives the sheep by spreading his ''bhandara'' and reveals his true form.Sontheimer in Feldhaus, pp. 116–32Sontheimer in Channa pp. 35-44 The wedding is deemed not in accordance to Hindu rituals. Banai and Khandoba marry in a simple, un-Brahmanical ceremony, where sheep droppings are showered on the couple, instead of rice as in the ritualistic weddings of classical (
Brahmanical The historical Vedic religion, also called Vedism or Brahmanism, and sometimes ancient Hinduism or Vedic Hinduism, constituted the religious ideas and practices prevalent amongst some of the Indo-Aryan peoples of the northwest Indian subcontin ...
) Hinduism. The wedding is conducted without a Brahmin officiating priest. Shepherds read the
mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...
s (the responsibility of the Brahmin in a normal wedding) and the bleating of sheep replaces the traditional wedding band. The wedding is sometimes described as a
gandharva marriage A Gandharva marriage (Sanskrit: गान्धर्व विवाह, ''gāndharva vivāha'', IPA: ənd̪ʱərvə vɪvaːhə is one of the eight classical types of Hindu marriage. This ancient tradition from the Indian subcontinent was base ...
. Due to the unceremonious nature of the wedding, she is sometimes considered a ''rakh'' (concubine) of Khandoba.


After marriage

In all versions, Khandoba returns to Jejuri with his new wife and faces the wrath of Mhalsa. Many songs tell about the confrontations of Mhalsa and Banai. In some songs, Mhalsa complains about Khandoba's infatuation with the impure Banai. The cantankerous Mhalsa grumbles how Banai has polluted the house by her uncouth ways and suggests that Banai should be returned to the wilderness again. The songs sing how the vegetarian, high-caste Mhalsa is forced to catch fish and eat in the same plate as the non-vegetarian low-caste Banai. Mhalsa is portrayed blaming Banai for the problems in the palace and talking about her superiority to Banai. Banai retorts by saying that Khandoba came to her, mesmerized by her beauty and became her servant. A frustrated Khandoba leaves the palace on a hunting trip after Mhalsa and Banai quarrel about who will embroider a shawl for him and marries Rambhai. The songs also narrate how ultimately the wives have to remain in harmony and aid each other. For example, a song sings how Mhalsa and Banai come together and celebrate the festival of
Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...
with Khandoba at Jejuri. Rarely, Banai also appears in Khandoba's chief legend where he slays the demons Mani and Malla. Mhalsa and Banai (or Ganga) futilely help Khandoba in the battle to collect the blood of Mani, every drop of which was creating a new demon. Finally, the dog of Khandoba swallows all the blood. Rarely, Banai is described as seated behind Khandoba on the horse and fighting with a sword or spear, a role generally assigned to Mhalsa.


Worship and iconography

While traces of Banai/Balai's association with the folk god
Biroba Biroba is a form of Hindu god Shiva. Biroba is the kuldaivat of Dhangars of Maharashtra State. There are many temples of Biroba in villages of Maharashtra. Also Karnataka in ijapura dist: aluk:ChadachanShiradon And also in Hunnur (taluk: Manga ...
as a "mother" remain, Banai rarely enjoys independent worship in modern times. She is generally worshipped as Khandoba's consort.Sontheimer in Channa, p. 45 While in Karnataka, her temple is outside the village and Mailara (as Khandoba is known in Karnataka) journeys every year to visit it for ten nights from his temple in the village. In Maharashtra, Banai's temple is inside the village, but outside the chief temple, as in Khandoba's chief temple at Jejuri. Mhalsa - who is installed in the main temple - is said to resist the arrival of Khandoba's new wife Banai and thus, Banai does not reside in the chief temple. Frustrated by the constant quarrels between the two wives, Khandoba is said to have divided the hill of Jejuri into two halves: the lower half belongs to Banai, where she has a separate shrine while Mhalsa rules the upper half where she stays with Khandoba in the main temple. It is customary to pay respects to Banai on the way up to the main shrine, before worshipping Khandoba and Mhalsa there. It is said that Khandoba bestowed the honour of first worship on Banai, while sending her off to a separate residence. Banai is the patron goddess of the Dhangars and the protector goddess of flock and herds. She takes care of the well-being of the community and is worshipped for increasing the herd. Stone votive images of sheep and other cattle are offered to her for plentiful animals. No animal sacrifice or non-vegetarian offerings are presented to Khandoba directly, instead non-vegetarian offerings intended for Khandoba are offered to Banai. Dhangars sacrifice rams in her honour and offer her a ''
naivedya 200px, ''Naivedya'' offered to Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir in Mayapur, India">Mayapur.html" ;"title="Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir, Mayapur">Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir in Mayapur">Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandir, Mayapur">Sri Maya Chandrodaya Mandi ...
'' (food offering) of liver, meat and rice, especially on the holy days:
Vijayadashami Vijayadashami (), more commonly known as Dassahra in Hindi, and also known as Dashāhra or Dashain in Bhojpuri, Maithili and Nepali, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Durga Puja and Navaratri, Navarahtri. It is ob ...
(when warriors traditionally set off on war or on a journey) and the full moon days in the
Hindu month The Hindu calendar, also called Panchanga (), is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adop ...
s of Magha and
Chaitra Chaitra () is a month of the Hindu calendar. In the standard Hindu calendar and India's national civil calendar, Chaitra is the first month of the year. It is the last month in the Bengali calendar, where it is called Choitro. Chaitra or Cha ...
. Khandoba is often depicted with two identical goddesses accompanying him, representing Mhalsa and Banai. In brass images, Banai is depicted holding a lamb and offering water to Khandoba, while Mhalsa rides with Khandoba on his horse. In metal plaques worshipped by the Dhangars, Banai accompanies Khandoba on his horse and is depicted with sheep.Sontheimer in Barz & Horstmann, p. 41


Notes


References

* * * * * {{Hindu deities and texts Regional Hindu goddesses Hindu folk deities Animal goddesses