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 region of India, especially in the state of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is the most popular Kuladevata (family deity) in Maharashtra.Singh p.ix He is also the patron deity of some Kshatriya Marathas (warriors), farming castes, shepherd community and Brahmin (priestly) castes as well as several of the hunter/gatherer tribes that are native to the hills and forests of this region.
The sect of Khandoba has linkages with Hindu and Jain traditions, and also assimilates all communities irrespective of caste, including Muslims. The sect of Khandoba as a folk deity dates at least to 12th century. Khandoba emerged as a composite god possessing the attributes of Shiva, Bhairava, Surya and Kartikeya (Skanda). Khandoba is sometimes identified with Mallanna of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Mailara of Karnataka.
Khandoba is depicted either in the form of a linga, or as an image of a warrior riding on a horse. The foremost centre of Khandoba worship is the Khandoba temple of Jejuri in Maharashtra. The legends of Khandoba, found in the text Malhari Mahatmya and also narrated in folk songs, revolve around his victory over demons Mani-malla and his marriages.
Etymology and other names The name Khandoba comes from the words khadga (sword), the weapon used by Khandoba to kill the demons, and the suffix ba (father). Another name Khanderaya means "king Khandoba". Another variant is Khanderao, where the suffix rao (king) is used. In Sanskrit texts, Khandoba is known as Martanda Bhairava, a combination of Martanda (an epithet of the solar deity Surya) and Shiva's fierce form Bhairava. The name Mallari or Malhari is split as Malla and ari (enemy), thus meaning "enemy of the demon Malla". The Malhari Mahatmya records Martanda Bhairava, pleased with the bravery of Malla, takes the name "Mallari" (the enemy of Malla).Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel p.314 Other variants include Malanna (Mallanna) and Mailara (Mailar). Other names include Khandu Gavda, Mhalsa-kant ("husband of Mhalsa") and Jejurica Vani.Sontheimer in Feldhaus p.115
Iconography
In a popular oleograph representation of Khandoba,Stanley in Hiltebeitel p.284 Mhalsa is seated in front of Khandoba on his white horse. Mhalsa is piercing a demon's chest with a spear, while a dog is biting his thigh and the horse is hitting his head. The other demon is grabbing the reins of the horse and attacking Khandoba with a club as Khandoba is dismounting the horse and attacking the demon with his sword. In other representations, Khandoba is seen seated on a horse with the heads of demons trod under the horse's hooves or their heads under Khandoba's knees.Stanley in Hiltebeitel p.288
In murtis (icons), Khandoba or Mailara is depicted as having four arms, carrying a damaru (drum), trishula (trident), bhandara-patra (turmeric powder-filled bowl) and khadga (sword). Khandoba's images are often dressed as a Maratha sardar,Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel p.303 or a Muslim pathan.Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel p.323 Often, Khandoba is depicted as a warrior seated on horseback with one or both of his wives and accompanied with one or more dogs.Stanley (Nov. 1977) p. 32 He is also worshipped as the aniconic linga, the symbol of Shiva.For worship of Khandoba in the form of a lingam and possible identification with Shiva based on that, see: Mate, p. 176. Often in Khandoba temples, both representations of Khandoba — the aniconic linga and the anthropomorphic horseback form.
Legends Legends of Khandoba generally narrate about the battle between the deity and demons Malla and Mani. The principle written source of the legend is Malhari Mahatmya (Mallari Mahatmya), which claims to be from the chapter Kshetra-kanda of the Sanskrit text Brahmanda Purana, but is not included in standard editions of the Purana.Sontheimer in Bakker p.103 R.C. Dhere and Sontheimer suggests that the Sanskrit Mahatmya was composed around 1460–1510 AD, mostly by a Deshastha Brahmin, to whom Khandoba is the family deity.Sontheimer in Bakker pp.105–6 A version is also available in Marathi by Siddhapal Kesasri (1585).Sontheimer in Bakker p.105 Other sources include the later texts of Jayadri Mahatmya and Martanda Vijaya by Gangadhara (1821)Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel p.330 and the oral stories of the Vaghyas, bards of the god.Stanley in Hiltebeitel pp. 272,293
The legend recounts that the demon Malla and his younger brother Mani, who had gained the boon of invincibility from the god Brahma, create chaos on the earth and torment the sages. When the seven sages approach Shiva for protection, Shiva assumes the form (avatar) of Martanda Bhairava (as the Mahatmya calls Khandoba) on Chaitra Shuddha Poornima at Adimailar, Mailapura near Bidar. He rides the Nandi bull, leading an army of the gods. Martanda Bhairava is described as shining like gold and the Sun, covered in turmeric (Haridra), three-eyed and with a crescent moon on his forehead.Sontheimer in Bakker p.118 The demon army is slaughtered by the gods; finally Khandoba kills Malla and Mani. While dying, Mani offers his white horse to Khandoba as an act of repentance and asks for a boon. The boon is that he be present in every shrine of Khandoba, that human-kind is bettered and that he be given an offering of goat flesh. The boon is granted, and thus he transforms a demigod. Malla, when offered a boon, asks for the destruction of the world and human-flesh. Angered by the demon's request, Khandoba decapitates him, and his head falls at the temple stairs where it is trampled by the devotees feet. The legend further describes how two Lingas appeared at Prempuri, the place where the demons were killed.Stanley in Hiltebeitel pp.272–77For a detailed synopsis of Malhari Mahtmya, see Sontheimer in Bakker pp.116–26
Oral stories continue the process of Sanskritization of Khandoba — his elevation from a folk deity to Shiva, a deity of the classical Hindu pantheon — that was initiated by the texts. Khandoba's wives Mhalsa and Banai are also identified with Shiva's classical Hindu wife, Parvati, and Ganga respectively. Hegadi Pradhan, the minister and brother-in-law of Khandoba and brother of Lingavat Vani Mhalsa,Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel p.328 the faithful dog that helps Khandoba kill the demons, the horse given by Mani and the demon brothers are considered avatars of Vishnu, Nandi and the demons Madhu-Kaitabha respectively. Other myth variants narrate that Khandoba defeats a single demon named Manimalla, who offers his white horse, sometimes called Mani, to the god.Stanley in Hiltebeitel p.278 Other legends depict Mhalsa (or Parvati) and Banai or Banu (or Ganga) as futilely helping Khandoba in the battle to collect the blood of Mani, every drop of which creates a new demon. Finally, the dog of Khandoba swallows all the blood. Sometimes, Mhalsa, or rarely Banai, is described as seated behind Khandoba on the horse and fighting with a sword or spear.Stanley in Hiltebeitel pp.280–4
The legends portray Khandoba as a king who rules from his fortress of Jejuri and holds court where he distributes gold. Also, king Khandoba goes on hunting expeditions, which often turn into "erotic adventures", and subsequent marriages.Sontheimer in Feldhaus p.116
Wives
Khandoba has several wives from different communities, who serve as cultural links between the god and the communities; Mhalsa and Banai (Banu, Banubai) being the most important. While Khandoba's first wife Mhalsa is from the Lingayat merchant (Vani) community, his second wife Banai is a Dhangar (shepherd caste). Mhalsa has had a regular ritualistic marriage with Khandoba. Banai, on the other hand, has a love marriage by capture with the god. Mhalsa is described as jealous and a good cook; Banai is erotic, resolute, but does not even know how to cook. Often folk songs tell of their quarrels. Mhalsa represents "culture" and Banai "nature". The god king Khandoba stands between them.Sontheimer in Feldhaus p.117-8
Khandoba's third wife, Rambhai Shimpin, is a tailor woman who was a heavenly nymph or devangana and is sometimes identified with Banai. She is a prototype of the Muralis — the girls "married" to Khandoba. Rambhai is worshipped as a goddess whom Khandoba visits after his hunt. She is also localised, being said to come from the village from Dhalewadi, near Jejuri. The fourth wife Phulai Malin, from the gardener or Mali caste, She was a particular Murali and is thus a deified devotee of Khandoba. She is visited by him at "Davna Mal" (field of southernwood, a herb said to be dear to Khandoba). The fifth wife, Candai Bhagavin, is a Telin, a member of the oilpresser caste. She is recognized as a Muslim by the Muslims. Apart from these, Muralis — girls offered to Khandoba — are considered as wives or concubines of the god.Sontheimer in Feldhaus p. 118Stanley (Nov. 1977) p. 33
Other associations and identifications
Mallana (Mallikaarjuna) of Andhra Pradesh and Mailara of Karnataka are sometimes identified with Khandoba (Mallari, Malhari, Mairala). Khandoba is also associated with Bhairava, who is connected with Brāhmanahatya (murder of a Brahmin).Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel p. 300 Devotees emphasize that Khandoba is a full avatar of Shiva, and not a partial avatar like Bhairava or Virabhadra. He accepts the attributes of the demon king — his horse, weapons and royal insignia.Sontheimer in Hiltebeitel p.332
Sontheimer stresses the association of Khandoba with clay and termite mounds. Oral legends tell of Khandoba's murtis being found in termite mounds or "made of earth".Sontheimer in Bakker p.110 According to Sontheimer, Martanda Bhairava (Khandoba) is a combination of the sun god Surya and Shiva, who is associated with the moon. Martanda ("blazing orb") is a name of Surya, while Bhairava is a form of Shiva.Stanley (Nov. 1977) p. 33 Sundays, gold and turmeric, which are culturally associated with the sun, form an important part of the rituals of Khandoba. Sontheimer associates the worship of the Sun as termite mounds for fertility and his role as a healer to Khandoba's role as granter of fertility in marriages and to the healing powers of turmeric, which the latter holds.Sontheimer in Bakker p.113
Another theory identifies Kartikeya (Skanda) with Khandoba.For use of the name Khandoba as a name for Karttikeya in Maharashtra, Gupta Preface, and p. 40. The hypotheses of the theory rests upon the similarities between Skanda and Khandoba, namely their association with mountains and war, similarity of their names and weapons (the lance of Skanda and the sword of Khandoba) and both having two principal wives. Also the festivals for both deities, Champa Sashthi and Skanda Sashthi respectively for Khandoba and Skanda fall on the same day. Other symbols associated with Khandoba are the dog and horse.Sontheimer in Bakker p.114
Worship