The Buffalo Roams Our Mythscape

YTHOLOGY has it that Rambha, the demon son of Rishi Kashyapa and a danava, married a mahishi or buffalo-person. They had a son, Mahisha, who became king of the buffalo-people.

- NANDITHA KRISHNA

YTHOLOGY has it that Rambha, the demon son of Rishi Kashyapa and a danava, married a mahishi or buffalo-person. They had a son, Mahisha, who became king of the buffalo-people. Mahisha lived in the Vindhyas and, by practicing severe austerities, gained strength to drive the gods out of heaven. From energies directed by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva emanated Durga or Vindhyavasini, a 10-armed woman. Mahisha's warriors tried to fight the Devi. She killed each with a different weapon held in her hands. As Durga approached the Vindhyas, the demon attacked her in several forms, each of which was destroyed. Finally, he took the form of the buffalo, whom she pinned down and killed. The Devi Mahatmyam of the Markandeya Purana describes their battle as violent, although the buffalo is a gentle animal.

Along with the Puranic killing of Mahisha by Devi, we have the popular folk ritual of sacrificing male buffaloes to local forms of the Devi in India and Nepal. Rajasthani Charans sacrifice them to goddess Pithad. Kolis, Vaghir, Dharalar, Raharis and Ravalias of Maharashtra sacrifice them to goddess Khodyaayi. In eastern India, they are sacrificed to Kali, and in southern India to Kali and several local goddesses.