For a State teeming with thousands of temples, many of them presided over by major Hindu Gods of Vedic origin, Tamil Nadu is also home to numberless folk deities venerated by the masses. Originating in oral accounts of events in the past, in legend and myth, these deities form the core of the spiritual and temporal life of the people, especially in the rural areas. Some of these folk deities are offshoots of storied characters from major religions, others are warriors, heroes and chieftains transformed into figures worthy of worship. Some are venerated in specific regions, others have pan-regional appeal. This offering contains accounts of some of these deities, as well as the traditions and customs followed and observed by their followers to protect them from falling into obscurity. Foreword I take immense pleasure in presenting this coffee-table book, Folk Deities of Tamil Nadu: Worship, Tradition and Custom, produced jointly by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department and The Hindu Group. Folk Deities can be aptly described as the Gods of the common people. They do not come under the purview of the Vedic Religion and Rituals, and share a strong bond with those who worship them. There are family deities, deities for a particular community and deities that have an appeal across society. For many years, these deities stood under trees, on the banks of rivers as guardians of water bodies, or were housed in temples that resembled houses, and often lacked special features associated with traditional temples.