The Demons : Siri-Yakka
Siri-yakka also known as Hiri-yakka, Riri-yakka
Siri-yakka comes from Northern India and is believed to be the son of Valiya-rajjurvo (the Demon King) and Sitapraha-Meseri. When he was born his mother lost a lot of blood and he is supposed to have developed out of a tiny blood clot. As a boy he was very small but had enormous strength but never grew any bigger. He developed all sorts of unpleasant habits and attacked people. He would bite their carotid arteries and suck their blood.
In great fear the people petitioned their king who called Siri-yakka in an attempt to reason with him. He stated that he had been born out of the blood of his mother and he had been commanded to behave like this by his father so he was only obeying his father’s orders. When the king told him that what he was doing was evil, he became angry and grew into an enormous giant. The king ordered him to be chained up until he relented. To be released from his chains he agreed that he would no longer kill people. He was only to make people ill in the mornings, afternoons and evenings but must release them from their afflictions when they made the appropriate offerings to him. Siri-yakka increased his attacks on people at these times.
Siri-yakka is believed to cause symptoms of fever, ague, chest and abdominal pains, burning eyes, headaches and delirium. When offerings are made to him they must include a hen’s egg cooked in his favourite way, mixed with rice and yellow root. He is very much feared and can appear in 8 different forms:
1 As a dog, cat or pig he is believed to wander across new graves digging up the bodies and eating them. (Avvamangala-Siriyaka)
2 At noon he may wander around villages disguised as a small man with long flowing hair and beard. ( (Iramudun- siriyaka)
3 He may disguise himself as a fishermen wandering amongst the fishing boats or pretending to fish with a rod. (Totopala - siriyaka)
4 He may whistle yet remain invisible along the irrigation ditches, ponds or rivers preventing the villagers from catching fish. (Kadavara -siriyaka)
5 People may hear singing but he remains invisible. ( Sipada- kariya Siri-yakka_
6 He may clap his hands but be invisible ( Maru- siriyaka)
7 He may throw stones at people in cemeteries but remain invisible. (Sohun - siriyaka)
8 He may appear as a man wandering amongst cows with a stick stealing their milk. The owner will become sick and start lowing and mooing like a cow. (Gopala – siriyaka)