Mariamman, often abbreviated to Amman (Tamil: மாரியம்மன்), is a Hindu goddess of weather, predominantly venerated in the rural areas of South India.

Her worship mainly focuses on bringing rains and curing diseases like cholera, smallpox, and chicken pox.

Mariamman is generally portrayed in the sitting or standing position, often holding a trident (trisula) in one hand and a bowl (kapala) in the other.

She may be represented with two demeanours—one displaying her pleasant nature, and the other her terrifying aspect, with fangs and a wild mane of hair.

When the rishi was away, the Trimurti, the deities of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, visited her, seeking to decide for themselves if she was truly as beautiful and virtuous as she was supposed to be.

[13] According to the Vanniyar community, an agrarian class, Draupadi, the common wife of the Pandavas, is said to be an incarnation of the goddess Shakti.

In time, she would be called Mariamman (the mother of rain and curing diseases), and became popular in the Vanniyar villages.

During the summer months in South India (March to June), people walk miles carrying pots of water mixed with turmeric and neem leaves to ward off illnesses like the measles and chicken pox.[why?]

The most favoured offering is "pongal", a mix of rice and green gram, cooked mostly in the temple complex, or shrine itself, in terracotta pots using firewood.

Some festivals in honour of the goddess Mariamman involve night-time processions of devotees carrying oil lamps.[why?]

Many in the crowd have fasted, shaved their heads, and wear bright yellow clothes which are sacred to the goddess.

Women and children may carry a pot on their heads decorated with the goddess's favourite leaves, of the margosa tree.

Some put themselves through a special tribulation of having one of the sacred weapons, dagger, trident, or spear, inserted through their cheeks or tongues.

If anyone is affected by chicken pox, any sudden death occurred or someone's marriage is taking place, under these circumstances the date of mulaikottu will be either postponed or cancelled according to the public opinion at the meeting.

As a next step to this, the received nine type of grains from the temple committee, is smoothly spread over the goat dung on the pari.

Most temples to Mariamman are simple village shrines, where both male and female priests perform sacred rituals.

For example, the Samayapuram Mariamman near the shore of river Kaveri in the northern outskirts of Tiruchirapalli, maintains a rich agamic tradition and all rituals are performed by Gurukkalas.

Mud replicas of different parts of the human body are placed in the temple as offerings by devotees pleading for cure.

It is said that the daughter of Tulaja Raja (1729–35) of Thanjavur, who lost her eyesight due to illness, regained it after worshipping at this temple.

Shri Sadasiva Brahmendra is said to have made the Moola Murthi of the Goddess Maariamman from the mud from the ant-hill where snakes had resided.

Salem Kottai Sri Periya Mariamman temple which is located in the heart of the city, the Aadi festival celebrated for 22 days.

Other important temples of Mariamman in Tamil Nadu are in the towns of Veerapandi, Theni, Anbil (near Trichy), Narthamalai, Thiruverkadu, Salem, Virudhunagar and Sivakasi, Vellore.

The song narrates the power of Shakti as Samayapuram Amman and equates the Peruvalai River with Punya Theertham, as do the people in that area.

[17] Madurai is home to the Theppakulam sri Mariamman Temple, a noted focus of devotion, primarily to the goddess but also to the Maruthuvachi (= doctor/midwife).

The devotees of The goddess Mariamman observe the "poo choridhal" flower festival, and in the month of Aadi many women honour her with fasting and prayer.

There is also a famous and highly regarded Mariamman temple in Urwa, a residential area of the city of Mangalore, where through the power of the goddess many miracles have been reported to occur.

There are many Mariamman temples outside India, in Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Fiji, Fiji Maha Shakti Mata Temple Nadi and Suva, Guyana, Vietnam, Trinidad and Tobago, Germany[18] and South Africa, the product of efforts of the Tamil diaspora.