What is "chamunda"

Chamunda ( Sanskrit: , ; Kannada: ಚಾಮುಂಡ ), also known as Sachchi Mata, Chamundi, Chamundeshwari, (ಚಾಮುಂಡೇಶ್ವರಿ) and Charchika, is a fearsome aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother and one of the seven Matrikas (mother goddesses). She is also one of the chief Yoginis, a group of sixty-four or eighty-one Tantric goddesses, who are attendants of the warrior goddess Durga. The name is a combination of Chanda and Munda, two monsters whom Chamunda killed. She is closely associated with Kali, another fierce aspect of Devi. She is sometimes identified with goddesses Parvati, Chandi or Durga as well. The goddess is often portrayed as haunting cremation grounds or fig trees. The goddess is worshipped by ritual animal sacrifices along with offerings of wine and in the ancient times, human sacrifices were offered too. As the times have changed, meat, and wine are no longer offered. As of today it has been known that animal sacrifices have been discouraged by texts such as the Ramayan. Originally Devi Chamunda was discovered in Hinduism and later entered the Jain pantheon too. Though in Jainism, the rites of her worship include vegetarian offerings, and not the meat and liquor offerings.

Chamunda is a genus of skippers in the family Hesperiidae. It consists of only one species, Chamunda chamunda, which is found from Assam to Burma, Thailand, Laos, Peninsular Malaysia and possibly Java.