Poleramma () is a Hinduism goddess of plague and smallpox.
She is predominantly worshipped in the villages of
Andhra Pradesh,
and is regarded as a regional consort of
Shiva.
Description
Poleramma is worshipped as a village goddess whose role is to server as the protector of the village. Her shrine is usually present outside the boundaries of the village, and often appears crudely built with mud and stones and worshipped in the form of a small stone in the form of a
Lingam. She is considered a goddess of smallpox, and is associated with the goddess
Mariamman of
Tamil Nadu. She is regarded to oversee cattle disease, drought, and general health welfare. According to
Yenadis tradition, the goddess causes smallpox to her adherents when she is not offered veneration. She is venerated by the community on a fixed day in a special hut after they are cured of the disease.
Legend
Poleramma is regarded to be one of the seven sister-goddesses worshipped by adherents in rural Andhra Pradesh, having a brother named
Pothuraju.
It is generally believed that one day
Parvati took seven gulps of water for drinking from a lake and that was not an ordinary lake but in that lake the energy of
Lakshmi was present due to the gulps from Goddess Parvati's mouth came 7 drops of water and from here the 7 sisters Poleramma, Ankamma, Mutyalamma, Pochamma, Bangaramma, Maramma, and Yellamma were born and
Pothuraju was assigned to guard them.
Festival
The
Poleramma Jatara festival is dedicated to Poleramma, lasting three days. A buffalo is sacrificed as an offering to the goddess, its blood poured into a
Kumbha and ritually scattered around the village.
