Beautiful brass statue of Goddess Mariamman standing. Mariamman is a Tamil folk goddess whose worship is thought to have begun in pre-vedic India. She is the most important Tamil mother goddess, especially in Tamil Nadu's rural areas. Amman means Mother, and Maari can mean either rain or smallpox. People usually worshipped her to protect them from smallpox, which was a major killer in the days before vaccinations. People sacrificed goats, sheep, and cocks to appease the Goddess. She was also worshipped by the ancient Dravidians in order to bring them rain, fertility, and thus prosperity.