Even though she is a Yakshi (Ghost), Neeli is worshiped in a motherly form in a temple in Panchavankadu, after she is impaled by the great priest Kadamattathu Kathanar.
[1] Before being a malevolent spirit, Neeli was born as Alli, the daughter of Karveni, a Devadasi, who lived in the land of Pakhakannur in the early ninth century with a fierce appearance.
Her younger brother Ambi, who rushed to bring back Alli, committed suicide upon seeing his sister's body by hitting his head on a rock.
[4][5] Both Ambi and Alli were reincarnated as the Chola king's children - Neelan and Neeli, and evil spread across the country.
Seventy local Uranmas gathered Nambi, a sorcerer at Nagercoil, and he was able to overpower Neelan, but he could not stop Neely.
[1] Having killed Anandan and the seventy Uranmas who had caused the death of her and her brother, Neeli decided to reside under a Kalipala tree and gradually became the mother goddess.