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Coordinates: 18°27′16″N 73°35′05″E / 18.454361°N 73.584613°E / 18.454361; 73.584613
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Mhasoba (म्हसोबा in Maharashtra), pronounced "MUH-SO-BAA", or Masoba is a horned buffalo deity of pastoral tribes in Western and Southern India.[1][2] In Maharashtra, many Gawlis (tribes making their living cow-herding and by selling milk and milk products) have been worshipping this deity for hundreds of years.[3]

Rosalind O'Hanlon, Professor at the University of Oxford stated that Mhasoba is traditionally very popular in the Maratha caste. She quotes about the devotion of the Marathas in the 19th century to Mhasoba as follows:

You will not find a single family among the Marathas who do not set up in the grounds around their village some stone or other in the name of Mhasoba, smear it with red lead, and offer incense to it; who without taking Mhasoba's name will not put his hand to the seed-box of the plough, will not put the harrow to the field, and will not put the measure to the heap of threshed corn on the threshing floor.[4][5]

Mhasoba is also worshiped by the Bhonsles. There is a shrine of Mhasoba at the Purandar Fort and there is also a beautiful water reservoir nearby that is named after him i.e. 'Mhasoba Taki'.[6][7][8]

Mhasoba's shrines are not Brahminical and there is nothing written about him in Sanskrit literature. He is considered a "kshetrapal" i.e. guardian deity worshiped by farmers. He is also considered a "guardian brother of the seven river goddesses termed as Sati-Asara"[9][10]

Mhasoba is sometime connected with Shiva,[1][11][12][13] who may have been a pre-Vedic deity adopted by Hindu culture. In the Mhasoba cult of Maharashtra, Mhasoba (Mahisha/Mahesha, which is another name for Shiva/Shankar) is worshipped with his wife Jogubai (Durga).[14][15]

His temples are found mainly in States of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Masoba is considered to be God of Spirit and temples are generally found near Smashan (cemeteries) or outside the village.[16][17][18]

Many communities like Lajjhars,[16] Joshis,[16] Pradhans,[17] Mangs,[18] Chamars[18] and Dhangars[18] worship Masoba and at times offer sacrifice of he-goats. They believe that Masoba is their guardian deity and protects them from evil spirits. However, it is the Dalit community, which mainly worship Masoba. There are many places, where annually a religious rally (Yatra) called Masoba Yatra is held, when the deity is carried in Palkhi (palanquin).[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b Drury, Nevill (2004). The dictionary of the esoteric: 3000 entries on the mystical and occult traditions. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 285. ISBN 978-81-208-1989-4.
  2. ^ Fuller, Christopher John (2004). The camphor flame: popular Hinduism and society in India. Princeton University Press. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-691-12048-5.
  3. ^ Berkson, Carmel (1995). The divine and demoniac: Mahisa's heroic struggle with Durga. Oxford University Press. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-19-563555-3.
  4. ^ Rosalind 'O' Hanlon (2002). Caste, Conflict and Ideology: Mahatma Jotirao Phule and Low Caste Protest in Nineteenth-Century Western India (Cambridge South Asian Studies). Cambridge University Press. p. 155. ISBN 9780521523080.
  5. ^ "Professor Rosalind O'Hanlon | St Cross College". Archived from the original on 2013-06-19.
  6. ^ Sacred Animals of India. Penguin. 2014. ISBN 9788184751826.
  7. ^ J. N. Kamalapur (1961). The Deccan Forts: A Study in the Art of Fortification in Mediaeval India. Popular Book Depot. p. 37. A little further is a beautiful reservoir called Mhasoba Taki, a source of constant supply of water
  8. ^ Milind Gunaji (2010). Offbeat Tracks in Maharashtra. popular prakashan. p. 65. ISBN 9788179915783.
  9. ^ "Devdutt Pattanaik: The forgotten Buffalo King". 9 June 2018.
  10. ^ "The riddle of Mhatoba, Mhaskoba and Mahishasura". 28 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Mhasoba Mandir". map.sahapedia.org. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  12. ^ "The riddle of Mhatoba, Mhaskoba and Mahishasura". The Indian Express. 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  13. ^ Bhanu, B. V. (2004). Maharashtra. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 9788179911006.
  14. ^ Berkson; pg. xiii
  15. ^ Kosambi, Damodar Dharmanand (1962). Myth and reality: studies in the formation of Indian culture. Popular Prakashan. pp. 90. ISBN 978-81-7154-870-5. Maharastra durga.
  16. ^ a b c Singh, Kumar Suresh; Bhanu, B. V.; India, Anthropological Survey of (2004). Maharashtra. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7991-101-3.
  17. ^ a b Rāmarāju, Bi (1991). Glimpses Into Telugu Folklore. Janapada Vijnana Prachuranalu.
  18. ^ a b c d Danda, Ajit K. (1993). Weaker Sections in Indian Villages. Inter-India Publications. ISBN 978-81-210-0305-6.
  19. ^ Festival:Previously the event was celebrated as \'Masoba yatra\' in Sulud
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18°27′16″N 73°35′05″E / 18.454361°N 73.584613°E / 18.454361; 73.584613

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