Yellamma

In popular culture

• Shakthi Leelai (1972), a Tamil film in which B.Saroja Devi plays the role of Goddess Renuka.
• Sri Renukadevi Mahathme (1977), a Kannada film in which B.Saroja Devi plays the role of Goddess Renuka.
• Sri Renuka Devi (2003), another Kannada film in which Soundarya plays the title role.
• Jai Renuka Devi Yellamma (1985), a full-length Marathi film about Goddess Renuka Devi.
• Udho Udho Shri Renuka Yellamma, a TV serial about Renuka Devi, the avatar of Goddess Parvati.
• Padma Shri Awardee Manjamma Jogathi has been practicing the Jogathi folk dance form for the past 40 years, dancing with a metal-crafted Yellamma deity positioned on her head.
• According to folklore, transgender individuals of the Jogappa community are spiritually wedded to the Goddess Renuka Yellamma and devoted to serving her. These trans women willingly devote themselves to the goddess during their transformation, following a cultural tradition observed across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and neighbouring regions. "Accompanied by the melodious tones of Chowdki and Shruthi, we sing and perform the legend of the Goddess, seeking alms. As we share the tale of the revered deity through our performance, people perceive us not only as conveyors of her spirit but also as messengers and voices sharing her life story." Occasionally, transgender men have also been recorded as devotees of Yellamma, and they are sometimes called Yellavva and Yellappa (possibly meaning "Yell-mother" and "Yell-father").
• The Jogathi community practises Jogathi Nruthya, a ritualistic performance dedicated to the Goddess Yellamma. Also known as Yellammaanata, this traditional folk art form is observed by individuals from the Devadasi and Jogathi (transgender) communities in Bidar, Kalaburagi, and Ballari, and has been documented by Bengaluru-born filmmaker and artist Shilpa Mudbi. It is intricately tied to the worship of Goddess Renuka Yellamma and maintains profound connections with marginalized communities.