Aiyanar Sasta

The guardian deity of several folk and Hindu traditions in south India. Temples to Aiyanar Sasta are usually built at the outskirts of villages to ward off evil. Notable temples include the shrine at Sabarimala in Kerala, which is dedicated to the brahmacharya form of the deity Ayyappa. Temples dedicated to Aiyanar Sasta are typically flanked by large and colourful statues of the deity and his companions mounted on either horses or elephants. Derived from the term ayyanar, variously meaning “teacher,” “guide,” “lord,” and “ruler.”