Kshetrapalas
Kshetrapalas are village deities worshipped primarily in South India, the Himalayas, and various parts of India including Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. They are associated with the deity Bhairava and serve as protective guardians, with shrines commonly located in the north-east corner of villages or towns. They are depicted in the nude accompanied by a dog, possessing three or six eyes, an even number of hands representing different gunas, fangs, a sacred thread of snakes, and carrying a sword and shield with Shaiva iconography.
Relationships
- allied with
- Bhairavas
Sources
Source passages
“Kshetrapalas are generally found in South India, the Himalayas and in various other part of India like villages of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh. It is worshipped as village deity. Associated with the deity Bhairava, they are portrayed in the nude”
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