Māri , also known as Mariamman and Mariaai (Marathi: मरी आई), both meaning "Mother Mari", spelt also Maariamma , or simply Amman or Aatha (, "mother") is the South Indian Hindu goddess of rain. She is the main South Indian mother goddess, predominant in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Māri is closely associated with the Hindu goddesses Parvati and Durga as well as with her North Indian counterpart Shitaladevi. Goddess Mariamman is considered by many to be the South Indian Incarnation of Goodess Kali. It is said that when Kali went to Southern India as Mariamman, Bhairava followed her as Madurai Veeran. Festivities for her happen during the late summer, early autumn season of "Aadi". Throughout the Tamil Nadu and deccan region, grand festival known as "Aadi Thiruvizha" are taken for Maariamman. Her worship mainly focuses on bringing rains and curing diseases like cholera, smallpox, and chicken pox.