Goddesses of Sri Lanka

Cur
In Tamil belief, Cur is a supernatural, feminine force, which brings fear, sadness and even death to mankind. Women are especially susceptible to this force. Cur is also the personification of fear and the leader of demons. It inhabits wells, waterfalls, holes and dark woods.

Giri Devi
This legendary woman is invoked in dances and songs. She was the sister of the evil demon Dala Kumara, who indulged himself in illicit desires for her. This grew to be an obsession with him, until her wedding, where he snapped and kidnapped her. Taking her to the forest, he raped her repeatedly and kept her as a prisoner. She finally committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree. He never recovered from this loss, but the efforts of Pattini kept him from devastating the world by instituting rituals to hold him at bay.


Links

Sri Lanka Profile
LonelyPlanet.com - Sri Lanka
World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka
Wanniyala-Aetto - The Indigenous People of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's Veddas or Wanniyalaeto
Voice of Sinhela
TamilNet.com