Ayyanar and his retinue of 21 gods are worshipped as protective deities in Tamil Nadu. Ayyanar shrines are usually located at the peripheries or boundaries of rural villages, and the deity is seen with a sword riding a white horse. He and fierce-looking Karuppusami, his most important companion with a moustache, a large sickle and a scary demon by his side, are eternally vigilant fighting against demons and evil spirits that are threatening the village.
It is believed that the Ayyanar cult goes back to an ancient clan-based Dravidian cult of ancestor worship that is linked to nature and fertility worship. Blood sacrifices at these shrines are very common. The huge (sometimes taller than 20 feet) and terrifying images are accompanied by larger than life figures of attendants and animals. Smaller terra cotta horses and iron tridents and spears, offered by devotees in fulfillment of their vows, usually crowd the front yard of these shrines.
Most officiating priests are non-Brahmins. They derive from local lineage that had initiated the cult many generations ago.

Have a full preview of my book about Dravidian deities (120 pages with lots of photos) in German: AYYANAR UND MARIAMMAN, DRAVIDISCHE SCHUTZGÖTTER IN SÜDINDIEN
and in English: Christa Neuenhofer, AYYANAR AND MARIAMMAN, FOLK DEITIES IN SOUTH INDIA (see below).

THE BOOKS ALSO EXIST IN LOW COST VERSIONS AS EBOOKS. ENGLISH VERSION: http://store.blurb.com/ebooks/417542-ayyanar-and-mariamman-folk-deities-in-south-india
and GERMAN VERSION: http://store.blurb.de/ebooks/pc3532baded5b3a0fd8c5



THE BOOKS ALSO EXIST IN LOW COST VERSIONS AS EBOOKS. ENGLISH VERSION: http://store.blurb.com/ebooks/417542-ayyanar-and-mariamman-folk-deities-in