Some festivals in honour of the goddess Mari involve night time processions of devotees carrying oil lamps. Mariamman is the family deity for many in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. It is a custom initially to worship the family deity on occasions such as weddings. The worship of a family deity (Kula theivam), considered most important in any Hindu festival, continues down the generations, providing a clue to the familys origin, since the family deities are usually located the village
