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Goddess Renuka or Mahur Renuka, also known as Renuka Bhavani, Yellamma Devi, is a Hindu mother goddess venerated predominantly in the South & Western Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh. She is regarded as the mother of Parashurama, the sixth avatar of the Vishnu and is considered a manifestation of the Mother Goddess or Shakti in regional devotional traditions in Hindu mythology.
Renuka's daily ritual involved bathing in the Malaprabha River with intense focus. Her spiritual power enabled her to mold sand into an unbaked pot and use a coiled serpent as a rope to carry water for her husband's Oblation.
One day, when Renuka went to the river, she saw a king making love to his wives. She was captivated by the sight and momentarily lost her concentration and devotion to her husband. As she was distracted, she lost her spiritual power, granted to her through her chastity, causing her to lose the water she collected. When she came back to the ashram, Jamadagni divined these events through his yogic power and cursed her lack of devotion.
After being cursed by her husband, Renuka went east and sat in the forest to meditate. In her penance, she met with the saints Eknath and Joginath; and requested them to gain the mercy of her husband. They first consoled her and then instructed her to follow their advice exactly as told. They told her to purify herself, first bathing in a nearby lake, and then to worship a Shivalinga, which they had given to her. Next, she was asked to visit the nearby town and beg for rice from the houses (this ritual, called "Joga Bedodu", is still carried out by women during a particular month in Karnataka/ "Jogawa" in Marathi, "Yellamma Jogu" in Telangana).
After collecting the rice, she was to give half to the saints and cook the remaining half, adding jaggery, partaking of the cooked rice with full devotion. They said that if she performed this ritual for three days, she would be able to visit her husband on the fourth day.
Knowing the anger of Jamadagni, they warned her that she may not be fully pardoned by him and that she would have to experience the most difficult time of her life for a few minutes. "After that," they said, "you will be eternally revered and will be blessed with your husband. You will be worshipped by all the people henceforth." After blessing her thus, they disappeared. Renuka followed their instructions with devotion and worshipped the Shivalinga with reverence. On the fourth day, she went to see her husband.
He then offered a boon to Parushurama, who wisely asked for his mother and brothers to be brought back to life. Jamadagni was impressed by Parshuram's pragmatism and brought Renuka and her four sons back to life. Jamadagni felt strong remorse for what he had done to his beloved and compassionate wife. He then vowed not to get angered ever again and gave up krodha forever. However, in that happiness of bringing his mother's life back, Parashurama brings another head belonging to another lady called Yellamma. Hence she is now called Renuka Yellamma. She becomes the deity of transgender community. Parashurama's father cursed the other sons who didn't listen to him that they would lose their masculinity. Once Renuka Yellamma is brought back to life, the other sons go and seeks shelter and she protects them.
A version among Deori people states that Jamadagni asked his sons to kill Renuka to prove their obedience before bringing her back to life.
One of the famous temples of Balkampet Yellamma Temple, located in the Balkampet neighbourhood of Hyderabad where every year in the Ashadha month Yellamma Kalyanothsavam is celebrated with thousands of pilgrims performing special rituals to receive the goddess's blessing. The Murti of the goddess is 10 feet deeper than the ground level. There is also a well in the Balkampet Yellamma temple complex and some devotees believe that the water in the well heals all ills. Taking a bath here is supposed to purify one of all disorders and skin diseases. This holy water is called 'tirtham'. An Akhand Jyoti is also present in the temple that was lit during the renovation.
Every year, there is a gathering of 200,000 to 600,000 devotees at the Yellamma Gudi temple (Yellamma Temple) in Saundatti.
Another temple Renukambe Yellamma is atop a hill in Chandragutti, Soraba Taluk in Shivamogga. This temple is an example of ancient architecture and dates back to the Kadamba Dynasty period. Another temple is in Mahur, Maharashtra, the supposed birthplace of the goddess, which finds mention in Devi Gita, the final chapter of Devi Bhagawatam as, "Matripura in the Sahyadri mountain; here the Devi Renuka dwells".
Another temple of Devi is at Dhamnand village, Taluka Khed, Maharashtra known as "Devi Yalubai".
In Tamil Nadu, Renugambal Amman Temple (it is Kuladaivam for Jambu Maharishi (Jamadagini) gotra Vanniyars), Senguntha Muthaliyars and other communities' people tracing their origin in that locality. The temple is situated in Padavedu, Thiruvannamalai District and it is one of the most important Sakthi Sthalas, another temple is located at Manthangal village, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity here is called Kondi Amman (worshipped by Pokanati Reddys settled from the Carnatic-Andhra regions).
Renuka Lake in the Renuka Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh is named after the goddess. According to one legend, the Heheya Kingdom King Sahasrarjuna (Kartavirya Arjuna) wanted the Kamadhenu cow from Jamadagni and Renuka. So for this he killed Jamadagni, and Renuka jumped into pond here along with Jamadagni at Renuka, Sirmaur district (Himachal Pradesh).
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