Momai or Momai Mata () also known as Dashama is a regional

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, popular 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 ...

, especially in desert region of Kutch.

Description

Momai is the highest goddess of the

Rabari The Rabari people (also known as Rebari, Raika, Desai and Dewasi people) are a caste group from Rajasthan, Kutch district, Kutch region of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab of India and the Sindh province of Pakistan. They were traditionall ...

Tribe. Sorathia group of Rabari called her as a mammai. The village Momai Mora located near

Rapar Rapar is a city and a municipality in Kutch district (Kachchh) in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. Geography Rapar (earlier known as Rahpar) is located at . It has an average elevation of 79 metres (259 f ...

in Kutch is the place where the deity is said to have first appeared, the temple is a place of pilgrimage and huge festival is celebrated here on eve of

Navratri 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 ...

every year. She is worshiped as one of the

kuldevi A ''kuladevata'' (), also known as a ''kuladaivaṃ'' (), is an ancestral tutelary deity in Hinduism and Jainism. Such a deity is often the object of one's devotion (''bhakti''), and is coaxed to watch over one's clan (''kula''), gotra, family, ...

of Ghiyad (

Jadeja Jadeja ( Gujarati, Sindhi: , or ''Jāṛejā'') is a Samma Rajput clan that inhabits the Indian state of Gujarat and the Tharparkar district of Sindh, Pakistan. They originated from Sammas of Sindh, a pastoral group, and laid a claim on the ...

Parmar Parmar may refer to: * Parmar (clan) * Parmar (surname), an Indian surname See also * Panwar (disambiguation) * Parihar (disambiguation) * Pawar (disambiguation) *Paramara dynasty The Paramara Dynasty (IAST: Paramāra) was an Indian dynasty ...

Sodha Sodha () is a Rajput clan residing in India and Pakistan. They are an off-shoot of the Parmar Rajputs and claims Agnivanshi descent. History They are off-shoot of Parmara Rajputs, who once controlled regions of Malwa and later North-West p ...

Jadav Yadavs are a grouping of non-elite, peasant-pastoral Quote: "The Yadavs were traditionally a low-to-middle-ranking cluster of pastoral-peasant castes that have become a significant political force in Uttar Pradesh (and other northern states l ...

, Baraliya (Ahir), Tank, Odedra (Mer) and other rulers & warrior clans of erstwhile

kutch State Kutch State was a state within India from 1947 to 1956. Its capital was Bhuj. The state's territory now forms a Kachchh district within the Indian state of Gujarat. History Kutch State was formed out of the territory of the former princel ...

and is closely associated with the Goddess Ashapura. She is depicted as mounted on a camel, with four hands. She holds a sword and a trident in the upper right and left hand, respectively and in the lower right and left hands, she has a lotus and armor. Apart from jadeja, parmar, Sodha clan, she is worshiped as

Kuldevi A ''kuladevata'' (), also known as a ''kuladaivaṃ'' (), is an ancestral tutelary deity in Hinduism and Jainism. Such a deity is often the object of one's devotion (''bhakti''), and is coaxed to watch over one's clan (''kula''), gotra, family, ...

by Udesh gotra of

Rajpurohit Rajpurohit is a martial race of Brahmin origin residing in South Asia natively in western Rajasthan of India. Their ancestors belonged to the family line of Saptarshi, SaptRishis. They maintain traditions that are similar to both Brahmins and Raj ...

community. The

clan of Kutch also worship her. Her image is found in almost every household of Rabaris. Bardai Brahmins also worship her as

kuladevi A ''kuladevata'' (), also known as a ''kuladaivaṃ'' (), is an ancestral tutelary deity in Hinduism and Jainism. Such a deity is often the object of one's devotion (''bhakti''), and is coaxed to watch over one's clan (''kula''), gotra, family, ...

. Many sub-clans of

Mistris of Kutch Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya (also known as Mistri or Mestri) are a minority Hindu community of Gujarat in India, who claim to be Kshatriya. They are an artisan community related with masonry, artistic carvings, sculpting and building and construction ...

also worship her as their kuladevi.

Dashama Vrata

Main Article: Dashamaa Vrat Dashama Vrata is an annual observance for Hindu people from the state of Gujarat, which begins on the amavasya of Ashadh month. In 2024, Dashamaa's vrat was observed on 4th August which was Sunday and ended on 14 August.

References

{{HinduMythology Regional Hindu goddesses Mother goddesses Forms of Parvati Hindu folk deities