Resources · Creatures, deities & other beings
Character & Creature Catalogue
Meet the beings of folklore and mythology: explore creatures, deities and spirits by name, description and associated tradition.
3,311 reference entries · 1,598 in the creature catalogue · 1,713 in the deity catalogue
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Catalogue coverage
Zoom or move the map, then choose “Filter to this area” to list beings with a tradition location in that view. You can combine this with a collection, character family or search term.
Beings associated with a tradition
4 entries at 12 tradition locations · 0 without tradition coordinates
Markers use tradition coordinates linked through source names, recorded aliases, language groups or reviewed associations. Deity links awaiting review are labelled as suggestions. Language-group links show cultural context, rather than verified occurrences in every tradition. Select a marker to list deities, creatures or all catalogue entries for its tradition, or examine its narratives in a new tab. Counts cover all matching entries across every results page.
Use the location filter or the list below to browse associated places.
Browse associated places without the map
- Brahui (4)
- Gondi (mostly Northern Gondi) (4)
- Kannada, Lingayat, Halakki (4)
- Kolam (4)
- Konds (Khonds; language is Kui, incl Kuttia, Konda-Dora), Koya; Pengo (4)
- Malayali; Kannikaran (4)
- Maria, Muria, and other South-Central Dravidians: Binjhwar, Bacop, Bhattra, Bom, Jhoria (=Jhodia), Gadaba (in Koraput, neighbors of Munda-speaking Gadaba), Duruwa (Parji), Mehtar; Pardhan (4)
- Oraon (Kurukh) (4)
- Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils (4)
- Telugu (incl. Yanadi, Chenchu) (4)
- Toda, Kota, Kuruba (Kurumba), Badaga, Maravar, Pulaya, Kadar (4)
- Tulu (4)
Browse the catalogue
4 matching entries
Mapped traditions counts linked traditions with map coordinates. Suggested associations awaiting review are included.
| Name | Tradition | Description | Mapped traditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| ManmathaDeity catalogueDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Dravidian (Tamil) | Manmatha is a local southern Indian form of Kama, the god of carnal love. Identified as Dravidian (Tamil) and named in Sangam literature, he is described as having attributes and a genealogy similar to those of Kama. | 12 |
| MariyammanDeity catalogueDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Dravidian (Tamil) | Mariyamman, glossed as ‘mother of smallpox’, is a Dravidian (Tamil) plague goddess, described as terrible, numbered among the Navasaktis and linked with Kali. Her worship includes a penitential ritual in which people are suspended by a rope and an iron hook through the flesh of the back and whirled around a pole. | 12 |
| MurukanDeity catalogueDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Dravidian; Tamil | Murukan is a Dravidian and Tamil god of hunting and war from southern India, identified with the Hindu god Skanda. His vehicle is either an elephant or a peacock. He is associated with the colour red, and his attributes include a spear and a staff with a garland. | 12 |
| MuttalammanDeity catalogueDivine and sacred beings (suggested) | Dravidian (Tamil) | Muttalamman, whose name is glossed as ‘pearl-mother’, is a Dravidian (Tamil) plague goddess associated with southern India. She is specifically identified with smallpox and is also known as Mutyalamma. | 12 |
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How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. Citation version 1.261029.1 (29 October 2026). https://folkloredatabase.com.
0009-0006-1672-4451
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