Aadi (Fourth Month) The Festivals in Aadi
Aadi (Fourth Month)
Here are the important festivals and auspicious days in Aadi Masam in 2017.
Aadi
Pirappu
The first day of Aadi is observed as Aadi Pirappu. It means beginning of the month. The day begins with the making of huge kolams (Rangoli designs) in front of the home. The kolam is drawn on all days of the month. The kolams are bordered with red color – Kaavi. Doorways are decorated with mango leaves. The day begins with pujas and visit to temple. There will be a feast on the day with special delicacies include payasam, vadai, boli etc.
On the first day of Aadi, married women change the yellow thread in their Mangalsutra or thali.
Dakshinayana Punyakalam, the night of the Devas, begins on the first day of the month Aadi. It is marked on July 17, in 2017. Some communities perform Tarpanam on the day. The sun changes its direction during this period and next six months is the night time of the gods. Due to this reason, no auspicious events are held in the month.
Aadi
Chevvai
The month is also considered inauspicious by many Hindus as the Dakshinayana begins in this month.
The month is of great significance to Shakti worshippers in South India. Tuesday and Friday are dedicated to Shakti worship in many places. It becomes even more auspicious in Tamil Nadu during the month of Aadi.Fridays (Aadi Velli) and Tuesdays (Aadi Chevvai) are considered highly auspicious and women in large numbers visits shrines dedicated to, Durga, Parvati, Shakti and other Goddesses. Unmarried women visit shrines of Shakti (female goddess) on Aadi Chevvai day in the month make different vows. Some women observe partial or full fast on the day. It is widely believed that worshipping of any form of Goddess Shakti in Aadi month will help unmarried women find ideal husbands or life partners.
Special dishes like the Thalagam Kuzhambu, a variation of popular Sambar dish, is prepared in many Tamil houses on Tuesdays in the month.
Aadi
Velli
Fridays (Velli Kizhamai)
in the Tamil
Month of Aadi is considered highly auspicious for worshipping
various Hindu Goddesses, especially incarnations of Goddess Shakti. Aadi Velli is also auspicious for performing pujas dedicated to Nagas (Snakes).
Women of the neighborhood and friends meet on the Fridays and do pujas and exchange Thamboolam.
Varalakshmi Puja an important ritual dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi is performed on a Friday in the month of Aadi.
Devout Hindus visit temples and perform special pujas on the Fridays. The Aadi Velli is of great significance to women as numerous rituals are performed in the month.
Majority of the people also worship snakes during the month. They offer milk, sugar and jaggery to the Snake idols.
Women also exchange Thambulam – a plate containing Betal leaves, Betel nuts, turmeric, kumkuma, coconut and cloth – after Friday prayers.
Different Hindu communities perform different rituals on Aadi Velli like the Iyers perform the Maa Vilakku ritual dedicated to Mother Goddess.
Aadi
Amavasai
Aadi Amavasai – the no moon day in the Tamil month Adi or Aadi – is dedicated to ancestors. Amavasai is also an important day for Lord Muruga devotees. The important ritual involves taking bath in the holy rivers. Special poojas and abhishekams are conducted in all the Hindu temples on the occasion.
Lord Muruga devotees believe that all sins will be cleansed by bathing in the Shanmuga river in Palani on the Aadi Amavasai day. Many devotees also tonsure (shaving the head) on the day.
The main rites and rituals on the day are dedicated to forefathers and many people observe ‘upvaas’ or fast.
Aadi
Pooram
Aadi Pooram, or Adi
Puram, in the Tamil month of Aadi (mid July to mid August) celebrates
the birth of Andal who is believed to be an incarnation of Goddess
Lakshmi. Aadi is the fourth month in the Tamil Calendar and Pooram is
one of the 27 nakshatrams or stars. In 2017, the date of Aadi Pooram
is July 26.The festival is a major event at the Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Temple in Srirangam as it is believed that Andal through her unwavering devotion became the wife of Sri Ranganath (Lord Vishnu). Another major event is the car festival of Sri Andal Temple at Srivilliputtur in Virudhunagar District.
Legend has it that a Vaishnava saint named Periyalwar of Srivilliputtur had no children. He prayed to Sri Ranganatha and Goddess Lakshmi for a child. Pleased with this ardent devotee, Goddess Lakshmi appeared as a child on a field in which Periyalwar was ploughing. Periyalwar gladly accepted this divine gift and this happened on a pooram day in the Aadi month.
Periyalwar continued with his devotion and used to make a garland with Tulsi leaves for Sri Ranganatha. Andal grew up to be a maiden and was in the habit of secretly wearing the Tusli garland meant for Sri Ranganatha. One day Periyalwar found this out and scolded her and took a fresh garland. But the fresh garland fell off from Sri Ranganatha’s neck and it continued so in spite of several attempts by Periyalwar. Finally, Lord Vishnu appeared before Periyalwar and said that he will only wear the garland worn by Andal as she is none other than Goddess Lakshmi.
Andal during her lifetime penned several verses singing the praise of Sri Ranganatha. Thiruppavai and the Nachiyar Thirumozhi are the famous compositions of Andal.
Aadi Pooram is major festival in Vishnu temples. Various incarnations of Goddess Shakti are worshipped on this day. If the festival falls on a Friday it is considered highly auspicious and the festival is celebrated more elaborately with numerous rituals.
Parvati Valaikappu
Parvati Valaikappu
In the Saiva temples, this day is celebrated as the Valaikappu festival for Parvathi, when glass bangles are offered to Parvathi & then distributed to the devotees. These bangles are said to provide offsprings and generally protect us from all evils. (Valaikaappu is a festival when a pregnant woman wears glass bangles, the sound of which is said to protect her and the child from evil forces).
Everyone, especially pregnant women and newly married, are encouraged to come to the temple with bangles.
Everyone, especially pregnant women and newly married, are encouraged to come to the temple with bangles.
Varalakshmi
Puja
Varalakshmi
Puja (August 4, 2017) – Worship of Goddess Lakshmi.
Varalakshmi Nombu, or Vara Mahalakshmi Puja, is a popular Hindu ritual observed by married women in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and by some communities in Andhra Pradesh and . In 2017, the date of Varalakshmi Nonbu is August 4. Married women worship Goddess Lakshmi on this day. In Tamil Nadu the festival takes place in the Aadi month of Tamil calendar and in Karnataka in the Shravan month of Kannada Calendar.
It is believed that worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on this day gives the benefits of worshipping Ashta Lakshmi – the eight goddesses of Earth, Learning, Wealth, Love, Fame, Strength, Peace and Pleasure.
Legend has it that Lord Shiva explained about the importance of Varalakshmi Nombu to Goddess Parvati, when the Goddess wanted to know about the most beneficial nombu or Vratam that married women should observe.
On the day, homes are cleaned and will be decorated with mango leaves and rangoli. Footprints of the goddess will be painted from the threshold to the place of worship, symbolically welcoming the goddess of wealth Mahalakshmi.
Shlokas dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi are recited, the idol of the goddess is decorated, a Kalash half-filled with rice and neck of the pot is decorated with fresh mango and betel leaves, a coconut smeared with haldi and kumkum and cloth are placed in the puja area and Goddess Lakshmi is invoked therein. Women fast till the puja is over. Special dishes like vada, mango rice, dal vadas and sweets like payasam are prepared on the day.
Women gather in houses in the neighborhood and take part in community 'arathi' in the evening. They exchange gifts like bangles, kumkum, betel leaves, fruits and flowers.
Vara Mahalakshmi is also auspicious day for beginning business and for house-warming functions. It is also one of the most popular festivals of Vaisya community.
Aadi
Perukku
The festival is celebrated mainly by people residing along the banks of the Kaveri river in Tamil Nadu. Special prayers and pujas are done in temples and people pray for a good harvest, constant supply of water and hassle free monsoon.
On the day, all family members make a trip to the riverbank and prepare a special lamp using rice flour and jaggery, which is placed on mango leaves and lit. Flowers, turmeric and a yellow thread are also placed on the mango leaves. Women float the lamps along with the mango leaves and other accompaniments in the river.
Special delicacies are prepared on the day and family members are joined by relatives and friends. People also prepare several varieties of rice including the popular ‘chithrannam.’ Family members go on a picnic to riverbanks along with the food prepared. The riverbank or seashore picnic is a major event in some districts in Tamil Nadu on the day.
In some regions in Tamil Nadu, son-in-law is invited to home and is given gifts on the day. Usually during Aadi month, the newly wed brides spend the month at her parent’s home and on Aadi 18 Perukku, a gold coin is added to the thali or mangalsutra in some southern districts of the state.
Aadi
Karthigai
Aadi Karthigai (August 15, 2017) – festival dedicated to Lord Muruga.Aadi Krithigai is an important festival celebrated in the Tamil month of Adi or Aadi. In 2017, the date of Aadi Krithigai is August 15. The festival is dedicated to Lord Muruga or Subrahamaniya. Incidentally, the festival is also referred as Aadi Krittika, Kirthigai, Kritika and Krithika. The festival is celebrated with fervor in the Murugan Temples in Tamil Nadu.
Adi Krithigai in some regions is celebrated to symbolise the victory of good over evil, when Murugan slew the demon Surapadma. After the annihilation of the demon, Muruga blessed devotees with boons.
According to Hindu scriptures, Lord Muruga was born as six different babies. And he was looked after by the six Krittika stars. Later, Lord Muruga was combined as a single baby with six heads by Goddess Parvati. There are many variations to this legend.
The Krithigai star or Nakshatram is considered highly auspicious to worship Muruga. And Aadi Krithigai is more important because Aadi is the first month in the Dakshinayana punyakalam – when the sun god changes his direction from north to south.
Devotees carry flower Kavadi on the Aadi Krithigai day. It is celebrated in a grand way with various rituals in Murugan temples across the world.
Aadi
Auspicious or Inauspicious?
Aadi (mid July to mid August), the fourth month in Tamil calendar, is generally considered as inauspicious like the Karkitaka Masam in the neighboring state Kerala. It is believed that Lord Surya (Sun god) changes his direction from north to south in the Aadi month. The next six months from Aadi to Margazhi is the Dakshinayana punyakalam – symbolically the night time of the Devas. Traditionally, most people avoid auspicious ceremonies during this period. It is believed that the ceremonies held during this period will not have the blessings of the gods. But a few important celebrations and rituals take place in the Aadi month.
The full moon day in Aadi month is celebrated as ‘aadi pooram.’ The day is also celebrated as the birthday of Aandal – Saint Poet who wrote Tiruppaavai and is also considered as a manifestation of the mother Goddess. Many people celebrate Aadi as the month of the Goddess and women partake in several rituals and ceremonies during this month.
The Varalakshmi pooja observed by women falls in the Aadi month. Women observe fast (Vratha) for the wellbeing of the family.
The 10-day Aadi Mulaikottu festival at Madurai attracts huge crowds. The important event during the festival is the procession of Amman .
Farmers start the new agriculture season during the Aadi month.
The 18th day of Aadi month is celebrated as Aadi perukku. Aadi month falls during the peak monsoon season and most of the rivers will be overflowing during this period. People celebrate this overflow of water by assembling and praying on the river banks. They pray to Gods to keep the rivers always filled so that they will have enough water for agriculture.
The festival is also known as Pathinettam perukku and is mainly held along the banks of River Cauvery. Today, the festival is held near all water bodies including reservoirs, lakes, beaches and tanks. It is considered auspicious to take a dip in the sea and rivers on the Aadi Amavasai day.
Earlier, newly wed couples were separated during the Aadi month by some communities. The bride’s parents used to invite the bride back home. This was because the women who conceived during the Aadi month used to give birth during April – May, the hottest months. In earlier days, when there were no hospitals the infant mortality rate used to be high during the hot months.
A major event in the modern times is the Aadi sales especially of textiles and jewellery very popular with the ladies down South.
Do not miss the next edition - "Aavani the Fifth month" to be published on 19th May.
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