The Flaming Tresses Of The Devi Mariamman

Devi Mariamman is the name given in South India to the more recognisable Sheetala Mata. She is known to infuse Her devotees with divine cool and calm ('sheetal' in Sanskrit means 'cool'). In Tamil, the suffix 'amma' stands for 'mother', denoting the nature of the people's devotion to Her. She has been traditionally worshipped as the curer and eradicator of the smallpox disease, and even though smallpox is almost unheard of in India, devotees flock to Her temples in ever-increasing numbers to this day. This svaroopa of the Devi Mariamman has been carved out of wood. Given the statement singhasana (lion-seat) and the votive pedestal the composition is on, it is clearly designed to be housed in one of the signature temples of the South.