Transformation of the Kaurava Queen Peruntiruvāḷ into the Goddess: Periyāṇṭacchi Worship in Tamilnadu

This paper explores the narratives and practices associated with Periyāṇṭacchi ("She, of the big universe") in the Dharmapuri region of Tamilnadu, India, based on ethnographic fieldwork and Tamil chapbooks. Periyāṇṭacchi is the clan deity of numerous families belonging to the Vanniya Kavundar caste group and is identified with both the goddess Pārvatī and Duryodhana's wife Peruntiruvāḷ (also known as Bhānumatī) from different yugas or cosmic ages. The story of "Arjuna's Tapas," which is part of the “Draupadī cult Mahābhārata” (Hiltebeitel 1988) and has been passed down through various oral and performance traditions, has played a crucial role in the identification of Periyāṇṭavar and Periyāṇṭacchi as Śiva and Pārvatī, respectively. Specifically, the encounter between Arjuna and two hunter couples during his journey has contributed to the deification of the Kaurava queen in the Tamil milieu, which I analyze in detail.