VAIKASI - (Second month) The Festivals in Vaikasi

Vaikasi Festivals 

Vaikasi month or Vaikasi masam is the second month in traditional Tamil calendar followed in TamilNadu. 

Vaikasi month is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and many 

temple festivals are celebrated during the month. 

Vaigasi month corresponds with Vaishakh month and Jyeshta month in all lunar calendars followed in North India, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Narasimha Jayanthi

Narasimha, or Nrsimha, is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is popularly known as ‘man-lion’ or ‘half man – half lion’ incarnation. In 2017, the date of Narasimha Jayanthi is May 9.The main aim of the Narasimha incarnation was to end the tyranny of Hiranyakashipu and restore the path of Dharma. Prahlada the young son of Hiranyakashipu and an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu paved the way for the removal of Adharma.

Narasimha Jayanti is observed on the 14th day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Vaisakha month (April – May). It is believed that Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha on the day to destroy demon Hiranyakashipu.

Narasimha Jayanti celebrates the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of Narasimha (half man – half lion) to save Prahlad from demon Hiranyakasipu. 

Narasimha is the fourth of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. In 2017, the date of Narasimha Jayanthi is May 9.

What to do on Narasimha Jayanti Day?

Prayers dedicated to Narasimha are chanted on the day.
The best prayer is to read about the avatar of Narasimha in the Bhagavad Purana.

People also give alms on the day and perform Annadhanam (donate food to poor). Donating food to poor children is highly meritorious on the day.

It is believed that those people who observe Narasimha Jayanti vratam will reach the ‘Vaikunta’ – abode of Vishnu.According to Puranas, Lord Vishnu appeared as Narasimha on the Chaturdashi day in the month of Vaishakh.

Demon Hiranyakasipu had obtained a boon from Brahma that he could not be killed by man or beast, by day or by night and from inside or outside. And also he could not be killed by any weapon.

After receiving such a powerful boon, Hiranyakasipu conquered heaven and earth and declared himself as God and asked people to worship him and not Vishnu.
But Hiranyakasipu’s son, Prahlāda, was a staunch Vishnu devotee and disobeyed his father. The whole kingdom worshipped Hiranyakasipu; but in his own house his son worshipped Vishnu. Father tried all means to change his son, but he failed miserably. He then tried to kill but each time the young boy escaped from the clutches of death with the blessings of Vishnu.

Fed up with his son, one day Hiranyakasipu challenged Prahlada and, looking to a stone pillar, asked, If your god is omnipresent, is he in this pillar also?’ Prahlad answered, ‘HE is present in the pillar and even in the rust.’ Hearing this Hiranyakasipu slashed hard on the pillar with a sword.

Suddenly, Lord Vishnu emerged from the pillar in the form of a Narasimha and slew the demon at dusk. Narasimha killed the demon by keeping him in his lap and tearing his heart with bare hands thus overcoming all the boons the demon had attained from Brahma.
Devotees fast on Narasimha Jayanthi day and visit Lord Vishnu temples. Fasting is from sunrise to next day sunrise. Those opting for partial fast can consume milk, fruits and food items not made using rice and grains.

Vaikasi Visakam

Vaigasi Visakam falls on the full moon day in the month of Vaikasi on the Visakam star. It is the birth anniversary of Lord Muruga, the God of Courage, Wealth and Wisdom and is celebrated by Tamilians all over the world.

Lord Muruga is younger son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and brother of Lord Ganesha. Lord Murugan has six faces,Wealth and Wisdom and because of that He is also known as Lord Arumugam. With his six faces Lord Murugan can see in East, West, North, South, Heaven and Patala simultaneously.

History of Vaikasi Visakam Festival

Legend behind Vaikasi Visakam Festival

Similar to any other Hindu Festivals in India, Vaikasi Visagam also is celebrated according to the famous legend associated with it.

According to Hindu Puranas there were three asura (demon) brothers, Soorapadman, Singamuhan and Tarakan and they attained great powers through deep penance. They were disturbing the Devas who pleaded Lord Siva for help.

As a result, Lord Shiva opened his Third Eye - the one seen in his forehead (in Tamil it is said as Nettrikkan) and emanated six sparks of fire. Two of the five cosmic elements - Agni (god of fire) and Vayu (god of air), and the Devas carried these sparks to the Ganga who in turn carried them to a stream called Saravana Poigai.

In the stream, the fire sparks formed six divine male babies who were cared by six young girls called Karthigai Pengal. Goddess Parvathi embraced these kids and they united to one with six faces and twelve hands. Consequently Lord Shanmugan (meaning one with six faces) emerged on the full moon day (Pournami in Tamil) in the month of Vaikasi. He is the embodiment of pure perception and divine knowledge.

Lord Murugan thus appeared for the special purpose of demolishing the evil spirits. With the Sakthi Vel given by Goddess Parvathi, Subrahmanya fought the Asuras.

Eventually, on the request of Soorapadman’s wife, the Lord agreed to release her husband and made the demons as His flag (Seval Kodi- the flag with a cock emblem) and His vehicle - peacock (Mayilvahanam). The war took place in Thiruchendur and the demon, Tharakasura, was killed in Tirupporur near Chennai. To celebrate this, Devendra arranged the marriage of his daughter Deivanai with Lord Murugan. The battle with the demon is the story of the Kanda Sashti festival.

Hence, Vaikasi Visakam is observed at all Lord Murugan Temples in India as well as overseas to celebrated the victory of Lord Muruga over the demons as well as the Birthday of the Lord.

Akshaya Trthiya

Akshaya Trthiya is one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar and is considered ideal for new beginning and investment. Interestingly, Lord Krishna plays and important part in the stories associated with Trittiya.

Astrologically, it is believed that the sun and the moon are most radiant and best placed on the Askhaya Tritiya day. Many devout Hindus choose the day to conduct auspicious functions. There is no need to select a ‘muhurat’ on this day as the entire day is devoid of malefic influences. Large number of marriages and several new beginnings take place on the day.

Nowadays, the media managers of various jewelry houses create hype around Akshaya Tritiya day. Due to this jewelry shops witness heavy rush. To add to the gold craze, many banks bring out special gold coins for the occasion.

Every moment is auspicious on the Akshaya Tritiya day, which falls on the third day of the bright half of Hindu month Vaishakh. ‘Akshaya’ in Sanskrit means ‘that which never diminishes.’ It is also the birthday of Parashurama, Lord Vishnu’s Sixth incarnation.

The day is also the birthday of Lord Parashuram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.According to the Puranas, the day also marks the beginning to Treta Yuga. On this day, Veda Vyasa began the composition of the Mahabharata.

In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas received the Akshaya Pathram (bowl) from Lord Krishna on this day. The Akshaya Pathram provided unlimited food for the Pandavas during their exile. Due to this reason, people believe that anything that is acquired on this day will be replenished. Therefore people conduct special puja for Goddess Lakshmi and buy new gold and silver ornaments and invest money in shares and real estate.

In the most famous story associated Akshaya Tritya , Kuchela, a poor Brahmin and schoolmate of Sri Krishna, visited with the intention of asking some financial favor. Kuchela, also known as Sudama, carried with him handful of poha or aval (beaten rice). On reaching, the palace of Krishna at Dwarka, Kuchela was ashamed to give the ‘poha’ to Krishna.

But the ever playful Krishna noticed the small bag in the hand of his schoolmate and soon grabbed it and ate a handful of ‘poha’. Kuchela could not believe his eyes, , the king, eating his poha.

It is said ‘Athiti Devo Bhava’ (Guest are equal to God) and Krishna treated Kuchela like a God. The poor Brahmin was so overwhelmed by the love shown by that he forgot to ask for financial help and returned home empty handed.

On reaching his village Sudama could not find his old hut. Instead his hut was replaced by a palace. His wife and children were wearing good clothes and everything that was old and worn out was replaced with new.

It didn’t take long for Kuchela to realize that all this was the ‘leela’ of the ever-smiling Sri Krishna. The day Kuchela met Sri Krishna was hence observed as Akshaya Tritiya.

Agni Nakshatram

Agni Nakshatram is the period when the Sun or Surya passes through the star Krittika also known as Agni Nakshatra. This period is considered to be the peak summer season. In 2017, Agni Nakashatram in Tamil Calendar is from May 4 to May 29. As it is the peak summer season the period is considered inauspicious and therefore some people refer the period as Agni Nakshathra dosha. The period is also known as Katthri and Kartari.


The most severe period of Agni Nakshatram is from May 4, 2017 – when sun enters Bharani Nakshtara. It will continue till May 11, 2017. This is known as the severe phase of Agni Nakshatram and it is not good for construction and other auspicious events.


Sun will enter Rohini Nakshatra from May 11, 2017 and this is the mild phase of Agni Nakshatram. This phase will end on May 28, 2017.

The passing of sun through 3rd and 4th quarter of Bharani Nakshatra and the four quarters of Krittika and the first quarter of Rohini Star is the period of Agni Nakshatram.

The dosha or inauspicious period is for 21 days. The popular belief is that journey made during this period will be unsuccessful, money given will not be returned, diseases will not be cured easily etc.

Some people are of the belief that auspicious events were avoided in ancient times during this time due to the intense heat wave taking place during the period.

Wesak - Buddha Pournima

To the Buddhist, Vaikāsi Pournima, is Wesak, the day Gautam Buddha was born, gained enlightenment and finally attained maha samādhi. 

His life from birth, through marriage, renunciation, enlightenment to maha samādhi is fascinating. Even though he had left his mortal coil over two thousand five hundred years ago, the spirituality created by him has not diminished - it is timelessly ancient.

Swami Vivekananda, in the course of some of his lectures referred to the Buddha as, "The greatest Soul power that has ever manifested," "The greatest Soul that ever wore a human form," "The greatest and boldest preacher of morality that the world ever saw," "The preacher of equality," "The greatest Hindu ever born."

The advent of the Buddha was imperative. He appears when misery and materialism of the world calls for Divine intervention to help mankind. The historical conditions of that time needed the guiding hand of an avatar. After the augustan age of the Vedas and Upanishads, a dark period set in when the teachings of the shāstras retreated into the forests and the society became corrupt. Empty rituals and sacrifices were given greater importance. Mother Nature intervened and corrected the situation by bring in the Buddha, who said, "All this must stop. This is not religion.

" Buddha was the specially chosen one who was sent down in the appropriate form to correct the wrongs and sufferings in the world. Suffering is inevitable and Sri Aurobindo says in his epic Savitri, "Pain is the signature of ignorance." It is this suffering that finally awakens man and puts him on the right path to salvation. 

The Buddha says, "The teacher but points the way, the work has to be done by yourself."

To the Hindus, Buddhism is the philosophy of the Upanishads. It is not that Buddhism as a distinct sect disappeared from the land of its birth, but was re-absorbed into the main current of Hindu thought because in essence it was part of it and the ethics of Buddhism became an essential part of Hindu religious teaching.

Vaikāsi Pournima is also Periyalvar's jayanti. He was an Alvar saint - a Vaishnava mystic who sang of God Śrī Krishna as his child and he the mother, Yasodha.

Year after year, the Vaikāsi full moon walks the sky reminding the Hindus of their ancient spiritual heritage. May we, on this sacred day re-dedicate ourselves to foster love and compassion and be blessed with the choicest grace of Murukan.

Do not miss the next edition - "Aani The third month" to be published on 5th May.

Let the comments flow- All comments/feed backs welcome!!!

All information in the above blog is sourced from various 

articles on the web. Nothing is original!!!