Mariamman

Mariamman
Goddess of Weather and Fertility[1]
The goddess Mariamman
Other namesMariamma, Mariamman, Mariatha, Mari, Amma, Ambika
Venerated inSouth India
AffiliationDevi, Shakti, Mahadevi, Durga, Kali, Parvati, Shitala, Shaktism, Draupadi
AbodeEarth
WeaponTrident, Sword
AdherentsPrimarily rural[2] Tamil Hindus, South Indian Hindus
MountLion
TemplesSamayapuram Mariamman, Punnainallur Mariamman, Tiruverkadu Devi Karumariamman Temple, Dindigul Kottai Mariamman
FestivalsNavaratri, Ādi Thiruviḻa

Mariamman, often abbreviated to Amman, is a Hindu goddess of weather, predominantly venerated in the rural areas of South India.[3][4] Her festivals are held during the late summer/early autumn season of Ādi throughout Tamil Nadu and the Deccan region, the largest being the Ādi Thiruviḻa. Her worship mainly focuses on bringing rains and curing diseases like cholera, smallpox, and chicken pox. Mariamman is worshipped in accordance with local traditions such as Pidari or the Gramadevatai. She is considered as a guardian deity (kaval deivam) by many South Indian village-dwellers. She is also the regional form of hindu goddess Parvati. Her consort is lord Shiva. At samayapuram, she is the sister of Ranganathaswamy. She is also worshipped in Karnataka as Marikambe, who is a manifestation of Adi-Parashakti or Mahadevi.

  1. ^ Bhattacharya, Jayati; Kripalani, Coonoor (1 March 2015). Indian and Chinese Immigrant Communities: Comparative Perspectives. Anthem Press. ISBN 9781783083626 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Bremner, Lindsay; Cullen, Beth; Geros, Christina Leigh; Bhat, Harshavardhan; Powis, Anthony (25 May 2022). Monsoon as Method: Assembling Monsoonal Multiplicities. Actar D, Inc. ISBN 9781638408048 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Mariamman – the Village Goddess who travelled". Storytrails. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  4. ^ Neuenhofer, Christa (27 November 2012). Ayyanar and Mariamman, Folk Deities in South India. Blurb, Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-4579-9010-6.