Goddess Oladevi, also known as Olabibi, is the Goddess of
Cholera and is worshipped mainly in parts of Bengal .
She is also known as Olaichandi. Oladevi derives her name from Olautha, the
Bengali word for cholera and devi means goddess. She is mainly worshipped for
containing a cholera outbreak. She is also worshipped to ward off chicken pox.
Goddess Oladevi is worshipped in the open under a tree with
her seven sisters. Some consider the seven are Saptamatrikas. Some people
believe the goddess is similar to South Indian Goddess Meenakshi and her
sisters.
Some scholars claim that Goddess Olabibi is the wife of Asura
Maya or Mayadanava, a fierce demon.
In some regions, Olabibi is said to be one of the seven
sisters of Sheetala, Manasa, Bonobibi and three others, all of whom have powers
to cure illness.
Goddess Olabibi is usually clad in a blue sari. She has a
bright complexion and sometimes she carries a child.
Daily pujas are simple and involves lighting of lamp,
incense etc. Special offering are made when there is an outbreak of Cholera.
Fruits, sweetmeats, sugar puffs, betel leaves, betel nuts
and flowers are offered to the Goddess daily during cholera outbreak.
Devotees hung stones from tree branch under which the
Goddess is located. The stones carry the wish of the devotee to cure people
from disease or to prevent from getting it.
Muslims too worship Goddess Olabibi but in the form of an
aristocratic young Muslim woman.