© 2023 Dr Margaret Sheppard
The Twelve Deities
According to Wirz (p. 136-154) there are believed to be Twelve Deities who dwell in the lowest heaven, the "chatur maharajika". It is from there, they occasionally come to the earth and punish people who are guilty of offences, with illness or misfortune.
The first three in the list are the ones mainly attributed with spreading diseases, especially in the form of epidemics and plagues, among mankind in order to afflict and punish them for their transgressions. They are:
Devol - whose main temple is at Sinnigama near Hikkaduwa
Pattini - whose main temple is Navaguna 15 miles from Colombo on the Kandy Road
Kataragama -whose main temple is at Kataragama which is named after him - N.B. sometimes treated as one of the Twelve or as a Guardian (details under Guardians
Natha - whose main temple is near Kandy
Saman - guardian of the hill country, main temple at Ratnapura
Bibisana (or Vibisana) - Kelaniya Temple near Colombo airport (sometimes a Guardian)
Ganpathi - Ganesh is the Hindu name
Gini-Kurumbara, and Vahala are not full Deities as they are half demon (yakku-deviyo)
Vahala
Dadimunda- also a yakku-deviyo - the Chief of the demons
Mahavishnu - Vishnu - His main temple is at Dondra
Isvara or Shiva
Further details of these Deities follow in the sub sections Katargama’s details are a sub section of Guardians.