Most temples to Mariamman are simple village
shrines, where both male and female priests perform sacred rituals. In many rural shrines, the goddess is represented by a
granite stone with a sharp tip, like a
spear head. This stone is often adorned with garlands made of
limes and with red flowers. These shrines often have an
anthill that could be the resting place of a
cobra, which is said to be a manifestation of Mariamman. Milk and
eggs are offered to propitiate the snake. Some temples have attained sufficient popularity for
Brahmanas to officiate at them. 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. Locations of other Mariamman temples: • Punainallur, near
Thanjavur – Legend says that Mariamman appeared to the King
Venkoji Maharaja Chatrapati (1676–1688) of Thanjavur in his dreams and told him she was in a forest of Punnai trees three miles distant from Thanjavur. The King rushed to the spot and recovered an
idol of Mariamman from the jungle. On the king's orders, a temple was constructed there, the idol installed, and the place was called Punnainallur. Hence the deity of this temple is known as Punnainallur Mariamman. Mud replicas of different parts of the human body are placed in the temple as offerings by devotees pleading for cures. 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 Mariamman from the mud from the ant-hill where snakes had resided. •
Salem – A Kottai Sri Periya Mariamman temple is located in the heart of this city, where the Aadi festival is celebrated for 22 days. •
Veerapandi, Theni • Anbil (near Trichy) •
Narthamalai •
Thiruverkadu – in Thiruverkadu, goddess Mariamman is worshipped in the form of
Karumariamman, where she appeared as a black serpent out of an anthill. •
Virudhunagar •
Sivakasi •
Vellore • Chennai (Madras) – The Putthu Mariamman derives its name from a Putthu (ant-hill) located on the opposite side of the Velachery Main Road. •
Madurai – The Theppakulam sri Mariamman Temple is a noted focus of devotion, primarily to the goddess and to the Maruthuvachi (= doctor/
midwife). Periyachi Amman (or Pechi Amman), who was deified for her skill and heroism. The temple possesses a large theppakulam. Here, the Panguni festival is the main event of the religious calendar. The devotees of Mariamman observe the "poo choridhal"
flower festival, and in the month of Aadi many women honour her with fasting and prayer. • Kaup,
Karnataka – This temple is located seven kilometres from the temple town of
Udipi. •
Urwa, a residential area of the city of
Mangalore – Known familiarly as Urwa Marigudi, many miracles have been reported to occur at this temple through the power of the goddess. The
Erode Mariamman temple festival is celebrated in
Tamil Nadu. The worship of three Mariamman goddesses named Small, Medium and Large Mariamman (residing at three separate localities within the city) is combined in a festival every April. It features the Thiruvizha, along with all the other
devotions to deities, and ends at the
Kaveri river with the purificatory immersion of the Kambam (the effigy of Mariamman's husband Shiva) in the flowing waters of the river. The
Karur Mariamman temple festival is celebrated at the end of May each year in honour of the goddess in Tamil Nadu. In 2012, the singer
Harini composed a song about the
Samayapuram Mariamman deity which was featured on the album
Om Nava Sakthi Jaya Jaya Sakthi. 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.
Outside India ,
Indonesia •
Sri Muthumariamman Temple, Matale in Sri Lanka. • Arulmigou Shri Madhur Kannanour Mariamman Thirukkovil, Port-Louis in Mauritius. •
Mariamman Temple, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. •
Mariamman Temple, Bangkok in Thailand. •
Mariamman Temple, Pretoria in South Africa. •
Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. •
Sri Mariamman Temple, Medan,
Indonesia. •
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Penang, Malaysia. •
Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore. •
Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, Negombo, Sri Lanka. •
Mariamman Temple, Pretoria in South Africa. • Mari Mata Mandir or Shri Mariamman Temple,
Madrasi Para neighborhood of
Karachi, in Pakistan. 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 and
South Africa, the product of efforts of the
Tamil diaspora. Some notable temples include the
Sri Mariamman temple in Singapore,
Sri Mariamman temple in Bangkok, a
Mariamman temple in Pretoria,
South Africa, as well as one in
Sri Mariamman Temple, Medan,
Indonesia. There are also many Mariamman temple in every state of
Malaysia. Some notable temples include the Queen Street
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Penang in
George Town, Sri Sithala Maha Mariamman Temple, Pekan Getah Tapah, Lorong Kulit Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple in George Town, Sri Rudra Verra Muthu MahaMariamman Temple in
Air Itam, Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam in
Arau, Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam in
Alor Setar, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Sungai Petani, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Ipoh, Sri Nagamuthu Mariamman Temple in
Taiping, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Gopeng,
Sri MahaMariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Klang, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Chukai, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Port Dickson, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Kuantan, Sri Veera Sundara Muthu Mariamman in
Kulim, Raja Mariamman Temple in
Johor Bahru, Sri Maha Muthu Mariamman Temple in
Tumpat, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Kuching, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in
Sibu, and Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple,
Kampung Chetti,
Melaka. There is another very popular temple dedicated to Mariamman in
Matale, Sri Lanka. == Gallery ==