''Devata'' (pl: ''devatas'', meaning 'the gods') ( Devanagari: देवता; Khmer: ទេវតា (''tevoda''); Thai: เทวดา (''tevada''); Javanese, Balinese, Sundanese, Malay: ''dewata''; Batak languages: ''debata'' (Toba), ''dibata'' (Karo), ''naibata'' (Simalungun); '' diwata'' ( Philippine languages)) are smaller and more focused Devas (Deities) in

Indian religions Indian religions, sometimes also termed Dharmic religions or Indic religions, are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent. These religions, which include Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism,Adams, C. J."Classification of ...

, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. The term "devata" itself can also mean deva. They can be either male or female. Every human activity has its devata, its spiritual counterpart or aspect.

Types

Apsara Relief Sculpture on Angkor Wat Temple Wall Feb 10 2000

There are many kinds of devatas: vanadevatas (forest spirits, perhaps descendants of early nature-spirit cults), gramadevata (village gods), devatas of river crossings, caves, mountains, and so on. For example, in the Konkan region of India, Hindu devatas are often divided into five categories: # Grama devatas or village deities who could be the founder deity such as

Jathera Religion in the Punjab in ancient history was characterized by Hinduism and later conversions to Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism and Christianity; it also includes folk practices common to all Punjabis regardless of the religion they adhere ...

or ancestral worship of Bali, and examples include Santoshi, Renuka, Aiyanar # Sthana devatas or local deities, for example, those in certain places of pilgrimage like Rama in

Nasik Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashik ...

, Vithoba in Pandharpur, Krishna at Dwarka, Kali at Kolkata, Mahalakshmi at Kolhapur, Devi Kanya Kumari at Kanyakumari # Kula devatas or family deities, like Khanderai and Muniandi # Ishta devatas or chosen deities # Vastu devatas or Gruha devatas, a class of deities that preside over the house. Following are some of the important types of Devatas in

Sri Lankan Buddhism Theravada Buddhism is the largest and official religion of Sri Lanka, practiced by 70.2% of the population as of 2012. Practitioners of Sri Lankan Buddhism can be found amongst the majority Sinhalese people, Sinhalese population as well as am ...

: * Bandara Devathavo are devatas of trees, mountains, etc. * Gambara Devathavo are devatas of the villages * Graha Devathavo are devatas of planets

Scriptures

Some well-known Hindu-Buddhist heavenly beings belong to the group of devatas, such as

apsara An apsaras or apsara ( sa, अप्सरा ' lso ' pi, अक्चरा, translit=accharā) is a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hinduism and Buddhist culture. They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, literat ...

s or vidhyadaris (female cloud and water spirits) and their male counterparts, the gandharvas (heavenly musicians). Devatas often occur in many Buddhist Jatakas, Hindu epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata and in many other Buddhist holy scriptures. The island of

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

is nicknamed ''Pulau Dewata'' ( Indonesian: "islands of devata or island of gods") because of its vivid

Hindu culture Hinduism () is an Indian religions, Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the Major religious groups, world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion ...

and traditions. In Indonesia, the term

hyang ''Hyang'' ( Kawi, Sundanese, Javanese, and Balinese) is a representation of the Supreme Being, in ancient Java and Bali mythology. This spiritual entity can be either divine or ancestral. The reverence for this spiritual entity can be found ...

is equivalent to devata. In Hinduism, the devatas that guard the eight, nine and ten cardinal points are called Lokapala ( Guardians of the Directions) or, more specifically in ancient Java tradition, ''Dewata Nawa Sanga'' ( Guardians of Nine Directions).

References

Palani, Sivasiva. "New Angles On Angels." ''Hinduism Today'', Sep 1992. Accessed 11 May 2006. Krishna, Nanditha. "Grounded in wisdom." ''Newindpress on Sunday'', April 26, 2003. Accessed 11 May 2006.
* Chopra, Deepak: ''Life after Death, The Burden of Proof'', Chapter 11 "Guides and Messengers" Three Rivers Press, 2008.

External links

Devata.org - Research on Khmer Women in Divine Context

Photos and Articles about Devata temples in Cambodia, Thailand & Laos
{{HinduMythology Hindu deities Tutelary deities

Types

Scriptures

See also

References

External links