I heard the sound of Indian music coming from outside my house while I was busy blogging just now and quickly grabbed my camera to go snap some photographs. I knew that there would be a chariot carrying one of the Hindu Gods being brought in a procession around my area. This is quite a common occurence and I really enjoy going out and watch.
The deity being ferried on the chariot this evening was the Goddess Mariammah. My Indian neighbours tell me that the Goddess Māri (Tamil: மாரி) is also known as Mariamman. Mari can mean sakti, power, and amman is mother, so she is the mother-power. From what I found in the Internet, Mariamman is not a peaceful and benign goddess. She can be vindictive, inexorable, and difficult to propitiate.
The Hindus believe that this goddess cures heat-based diseases like pox and rashes. Those wanting to have children or a spouse would also pray to Marimmah.
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