Meet the Goddess "AIDS-Amma"

[Guest guest]

As we've discussed here at length in the past, Devi is ever ready to

shift forms and conceptions to suit the needs of Her modern

devotees. So it came as only a minor surprise to read in the BBC's

news archives of "AIDS-Amman," the Goddess of AIDS. Any comments? I

bet Nora will have a thought or two on this:

 

INDIA'S AIDS GODDESS BATTLES 'AIDS DEMON' IN BOMBAY

 

Hundreds of people in the southern Indian state of Karnataka have

taken part in a highly unusual religious procession to mark World

Aids Day.

 

The march culminated at a temple which houses the statue of the

Goddess of Aids.

 

Hundreds of villagers, especially women and children, gathered in

the village of Menasikyathana - about 30 km (20 miles) from Mysore -

to participate in the procession.

 

Making its way through the winding lanes of the village, the

procession finally stopped at an open air temple containing the

figure of the Goddess of Aids, or what local villagers call

AidsSamma.

 

A BENIGN GODDESS

 

Believed to be a benign figure of protection, the deity is

represented by a 1.2 metre (four feet) high stone slab, bearing the

twin engravings of a male and female form, punctured at the centre

by a symbol of the Aids virus.

 

Students and villagers lit incense sticks and offered prayers to the

goddess. One of the teachers leading the group, H.N. Girish, said

the temple was constructed earlier this year after students

campaigned for greater Aids awareness.

 

Mr Girish said the temple's pillars bear information capsules about

the debilitating virus - tracing out in the local language the route

of the infection, and tips on prevention.

 

At the end of the procession, students took vows to educate

villagers on Aids, and to prevent the further isolation of those who

are already infected.

 

By Habib Beary in Bangalore

Source: BBC News

URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/545405.stm