Who are Ishta devs and Kul devtas and how are they worshipped

The term ‘Ishta Dev’ is commonly translated to ‘self-diety’, or, the personal God or deity that a person feels most connected to and worshipping who brings happiness and prosperity into their lives. An Ishta Dev is the one with whom you feel a personal connection and to whom you first turn to in times of sadness or despair. An Ishta dev is believed to be a spiritual guide and protector, helping people through their life and keeping a close watch on them to prevent any harm.

Kul Devta or Kul Devi are the ancestral or family deities who are worshipped by a whole lineage or clan. These deities are believed to protect the family, not just one person or member, and even whole communities at a point, make sure they thrive, and protect them from any misfortunes. So, unlike Ishta devs, who are personal to an individual, Kul devs are shared by an entire family or clan.

The selection of an Ishta dev depends on different factors. While earlier people thought of the Ishta dev as someone they have always looked upto and worshipped, now there are different tools to determine who your Isht dev is. In some cases, families pass down the worship of a particular God through generations, and this becomes the start of the Isht dev, and in other cases, when a person feels drawn to a specific deity, they choose them as an Isht.

Another way to determine who your Isht dev is, is to check your Kundli, the astrological birth chart. Many astrologers can help determine the Isht dev by looking at the planetary alignments and ruling houses. Some people also claim that as per birth chart the Lord of 5th House is the Isht Dev of a particular person.

Kul devis and devtas, as opposed to Ishta devs, are worshipped on a larger, more communal scale. They are the guardians of a ‘kul’ or clan, and this clan has many families and people living under it. When the Kul devis and devtas are worshipped, it is not a simple, everyday ceremony. People and families gather in the native villages and large scale rituals and ceremonies are done to honour the Kul devtas.

One thing that not many people know is that Kul devtas do not change, but Kul devis do! In fact, even the Kul devi changes only for women after she gets married. When a woman gets married, her Kul devs change from her father’s family, to that of her husband’s family. And so when a newly married girl first enters her home, she is expected to worship her new Kuldevi and pay her respects to her to keep the family safe and thriving.

Unlike Kul devtas, an Ishta dev majoritarily remains the same for the person throughout their life. It is often believed that when a person forms a certain connection with a deity, it remains so throughout their life. So, if someone has a deep love and respect for Maa Durga, she becomes their isht, and this connection is hard to change. But of late, many people have started to believe that Isht can change over the course of life. They believe that as you grow up and your expectations and ways of worship change, you might be attracted to another deity.

Worshipping your Isht is a rather personal and everyday thing. It can be as small as taking their name in your mind, doing naam jap in the early hours, or just offering them flowers, water, or the likes when you visit a temple. When worshipping the Isht dev, you can also chant hymns and mantras, and remain true and honest to them. For Kul devis and devtas on the other hand, the worship is much more familial. When Kul devtas are worshipped, the entire family and clan participates, and people come together after years and from long distances to honour their Gods.