Pattini

In Sinhala Buddhist belief the Pattini is a guardian deity of Buddhism. She is the deification of Kannagi, who is the central character of the Tamil epic Silapadhikaram of Ilango Adigal. She is worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindus and is the patron goddess of fertility and health - particularly of smallpox, which is referred to as deviyange ledé ('the divine affliction') in the Sinhala language.

According to Sinhala mythology, the Bodhisatva Pattini was incarnated as Kannagi in order to rid the Pandya kingdom of its evil three-eyed king. She was said to have been born of a mango fruit, which was cut down by the god Sakra with an arrow.

The first mention is in the Silapadhikaram, written in India at some time after the 2nd Century CE. Introduced into Sri Lanka at some time after this, it absorbed earlier deities such as that of Kiri Amma ('milk mother'). Historians attribute her introduction to the island to Gajabahu I, a frequent traveller to Tamilakkam. The Silapathikaram mentions Gajabahu's presence at the consecration of a temple to Kannagi (identified as Pattini in this case) by the Chera king Senguttuvan.