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{{for|the place name|Devala (Nilgiris)}}
{{short description|Hindu sage}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2019}}
[[File:Devala Maharshi.jpg|thumb]]
In [[Hinduism]], '''Devala''' was one of the great ''rishis'' or sages. He is acknowledged to be a great authority like [[Narada]] and [[Vyasa]] and is mentioned by [[Arjuna]] in ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'' (10.13).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.devangakula.org/DevalratVedhas.html|title=கீதையில் தேவலர்|website=devangakula.org|language=Tamil|access-date=2019-06-15|archive-date=2020-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218233332/http://www.devangakula.org/DevalratVedhas.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
According to the [[Devanga Purana]], Sage Devala is the progenitor of the Devanga community. The person called "Agni Manu" was the first weaver, who weaves clothes for all. After his liberation, the demand for clothes became high. Devala emerged from the third eye or from the heart of Lord [[Shiva]] to create clothing and to teach weaving to the world. Sage Devala is the progenitor of the Devanga community.
==Weaver==
When Devala returned after obtaining threads from Lord [[Vishnu]], a group of five demons attacked him. It is a dark night and the demons were all-powerful. Devala struggled with Vishnu's [[Chakra]] and finally prayed to Shakti to protect him. Devi Shakti appeared with fluorescence and glory, wearing a bright Crown, holding Trishula and other weapons in her hands and riding a lion. She killed the demons and their blood was in the colors of white, black, red, green, and yellow. Devala soaked the threads in the demons colorful blood. Later, Devi Shakti was named as [[Chowdeshwari Temple|Chowdeswari]] or [[Sri Ramalinga Sowdeswari Amman|Sowdeswari]] (Chowda/Sowda/Sooda means the brightness). She advised Devala to worship her on every new moon night.
Devala went to South Himalaya and owned "Sagara Kingdom" with Amodh Nagar as its capital, wove new clothes and gave them to Trimurti, Tridevi, Deva, Asura, Gandharva, Kinnar, and ordinary people. Devala gave clothes to cover Deva's body parts so his community is named Devanga (Anga=Body part) Community.
== Marriage ==
He married Suryadeva's younger sister Deva Dhutta, becoming Surya's first kinsmen his son from Deva dhutta was Maharishi [[Shandilya (Rishi)|Shandilya]] then he married Aadi Shesha's daughter Chandra Rekha. Devanga people are called Sedar/Jendar (Shesha is pronounced as Seda in Tamil). Later he married Asura Vakradanta's daughter Agni Dhutta. People who follow Devala are known as Devanga or Devangar. The main god for Devala is [[Sri Ramalinga Sowdeswari Amman]].
His descendants are known as Devanga.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Rishis of Hindu mythology}}
{{HinduMythology}}
[[Category:Rishis]]