Kecaikhati

Kecaikhati (lit. 'eater of raw flesh') is a prominent goddess from Northeast India. Her shrine is considered to be the Tamreswari Temple, near Paya in Arunachal Pradesh; and she is referred to as Dikkaravasini in the 9th century Kalika Purana whose temple formed the eastern limit of Kamarupa. But unlike Kamakhya and Kamakhya Temple, which acquired Brahmin priests and became associated with the legendary Narakasura and the historical Kamarupa kings, Kecaikhati continued to remain outside the ambit of Brahminical influence and remained under the control of Deori priests during the time of the Chutia kingdom and after up to the present time.

Known as a particularly bloodthirsty goddess, Kecaikhati continued to receive human sacrifices during an annual festival and at calamitous times well after the Ahoms took over the Chutia kingdom in 1523 till the Ahom king Suhitpangphaa (1780–1795) or Gaurinath Singha banned the practice. Kecaikhati was the tutelary goddess of both the Chutia kingdom as well as the Dimasa kingdom. and the Ahom kingdom accorded the Deori priests special respect.