Marghazhii (Ninth Month) The Festivals in Marghazhi
Margazhi (Ninth Month) The Festivals in Margazhi
The Tamil month Margazhi, (mid December to mid January) being an auspicious month for the Tamil Hindus and others, is a time of festivals, devotion (Bhakti) and music.It is a spiritual engagement for the devout Hindus. The Tamil calendar based on the classical ''Hindu solar calendar'' as used in many Indian states and SE Asian countries, starts from mid December - at this time of the year, it is the coolest season because the northern portion of the planet is facing away from the sun because of inclination of the central axis.
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| Sri Villiputtur Aandal Temple |
There are many festivals associated with Tamil months according to theHindu Tamil calendar. The Tamil New Year normally follows the'Nirayanam vernal equinox' ( 'The March equinox or Northward equinox is the equinox on the earth when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading northward. The March equinox is the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere.') and generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. Hence 14 th April marks the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar. Margazhi Masam marks the time of the winter solstice when the days are shorter and the nights are longer.
The important festivals associated with Margazhi are Vaikunta Ekadasi, Hanuman Jayanthi and Arudara Darshan. Unfortunately for unknown reasons, this month, it is believed, is not good for unmarried girls to find a groom and consequently weddings are not held in this month.
In the great epic Mahabharata written by sage Vyasa, it was in this month Lord Sri Krishna gave the ''Geeta Upathasam''- the essence of life and spiritual exposition to warrior Arjuna on the battle field of Kurushetra. All Hindu temples follow special pooja protocol in this month. At Vishnu temples rendition of Tamil hymns of Tiruppavai of Andal, daughter of Periyazvar is done. Every day of Margazhi, one verse of Thirupavai is chanted in the early morning. (Thirupavai has a collection of 30 devotional pasurams/ verses in praise of Maha Vishu in chaste Tamil). Thirupavai rendition is quite popular at Sri Andal temple at Sri Villiputhur. At home, ladies sing Thirupavai. these activities will continue for the whole month of Margazhi.
This month is significant for the Sri Ranganathar temple at Srirangam that celebrates Vaikunta Ekadasi - opening of Sorgha Vaasal or Paramapadha vaasal Thirappu (opening of heavenly gate), the Pagal pathu and Raapathu – the chanting of Tiruvaimozhi and Aryiyar Sevaai. Poojas in the temples start usually very early in the morning - around 3 am during this month; lots of devotees, after morning ablution, throng the temples for prayer, blessings and prasadams.
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| Dance and Music Festival |
Arudra Darisanam (Thiruvaadirai star in Tamil) is the most auspicious day in this month. The offering made to Lord Siva is the Thiruvaadirai Kalee - a sweet boiled pudding. People both women and men normally shun non-vegetarian food. In all towns of Tamil Nadu, in particular at Srivilliputhur, women folks get up in the early morning and after head bath and puja, joyfully draw the kolam or rangoli of different designs and of different geometric patterns, using colored rice powder in front of their home.
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| Kolam |
Yet another highlight of Margazhi Matham is the time of rendition of classical music and also of performance of traditional dances associated with the state of Tamil Nadu. Traditional music and dances are yet another way of paying obeisance to the almighty in this month of divinity. Indian classical dance, in particular, is interwoven with the spiritual beliefsand the mythology of the ancient Hindu culture. Important cities, in particular Chennai and Coimbatore come alive where the Sabhas (music clubs) are thronged by music lovers to listen to the well-known classical singers and instrumentalists in the comforts of cool and congenial weather - a deserving respite from the uncomfortable months afterunbearable hot summer. However, this year in Chennai city because of the unprecedented rain and the resultant flooding in many places, the winter music season went off on a low key.
Margazhi Maasam is believed to be auspicious early morning for the celestial humans - Devas. One year on our planet is equal to a day for them. The night time of Devas begins during Dakshinayana Punyakalam.
The name Margazhi, derived from Margashira in Sanskrit, is actually a holy month. However, Hindus do not celebrate important family functions and also avoid opening of new business and buying of immovable properties, etc., in this month. They also avoid purchasing of gold jewellery and wedding dress for the prospective bride in this month. Anyway, for numerous people, getting out of the warm, cozy blankets in the early cool morning may be an uneasy one, but they feel thrilled to get up to taste a cup of steaming well-flavoured filter coffee to get rid of morning lethargy and listen to the classical music or slokas coming from TV or near by Hindu temple through loud speakers perched on the tower.This is really an enchanting, pleasant month when the atmosphere is thick with reverberating devotional hymns and mesmerising classical devotional Tamil and Carnatic music.
Pavai Nombu, also known as Margazhi Nonbu, is observed in Tamil Nadu during Margazhi masam or Margazhi month. It is said that Andal performed Pavai Nonbu to merge with Sri Ranganatha (Lord Vishnu). Pavai Nombu is performed by women for prosperity and to get good husbands. The history of Pavai Nonbu is more than 2000 years old and is mentioned in the early Tamil scriptures.
General belief is that the Pavai Nombu was observed for Katyayani (a form of Durga). It is said that Gopis first observed it to get Lord Krishna as their husband. Women and girls observing Pavai Nombu woke before sunrise bathed in the Kalindi river and made an image of Goddess Katyayani with the clay found on the river bank and offered prayers to the Goddess to get good husbands. It is believed that Andal performed the Pavai Nombu to merge with Sri Ranganatha.
Today, women and girls undertaking Pavai Nombu during Margazhi month take bath at dawn and visit temples and read a verse from Thiruppavai composed by Andal.
Margazhi Bhajans
THE TAMIL calendar is punctuated with festivals. In no other month does the festival mood spreads unbroken over one full month like Margazhi. Festivals like Vinayaka Chaturti, Krishna Jayanti, Dusserah and Skanda Shashti is of limited duration during the other months.
The month of Margazhi is unique. The atmosphere is suffused with religious fervour and sanctity that draws people from different sections of the community. `Among the months, I am Margazhi,' said Lord Krishna in the Gita. Wrapped in shawls or bare bodied, people join bhajan groups and go round the streets, unmindful of the cold and nipping air. Womenfolk, particularly in villages and small towns, decorate the front yard and the streets with striking kolams made of rice flour. (Now-a-days lime powder is the substitute for rice flour). Devotees rush to listen the discourses on Tiruppavai and Tiruvembavai, depending on their choice or religious persuasion. The discourses provide the spiritual diet, while pongal spiced with ginger and pepper satisfies their palate. Religious discourses are then supplemented and/or complemented by music in sabhas of which there is no dearth. In fact, one can, if one chooses, spend every day in the month of Margazhi listening to discourses and music.
The air is resonant with the choric chant by Ayyappa devotees for the greater part of the month. Christmas adds its own dimension to the season.
Series of festivities
The peak points in the month-long celebration are touched in Vaikunta Ekadasi, Arudra Darshan, Hanumanth Jayanti and the observance of the Jayanti and Aradhana of spiritually eminent personages like Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi and Sri Seshadri Swamigal. The point of culmination is reached with the advent of the Tamil month Thai. As Margazhi merges into Thai, the mood of religious fervour gets intensified during the Tyagaraja festival.
Whatever be the changes in public and private life, the cycle of festivals goes on according to a set, pre-established pattern. The cultural rhythm of the community recurs with unfailing regularity.
The old is ever new. The members of the community relive and re-enact the experience of the ages to renew, rejuvenate and fortify their faith and devotion.
Arudra Darshan
Arudra Darshan is celbrated in the Tamil month of Margazhi coinciding with December – January. This day falls on the full moon night of this month when the Tiruvadirai (Arudra) star rules over. Notably, this happens to be the longest night of the year. Arudra is the star that symbolizes golden red flame, which is none else than Lord Shiva at his cosmic dance. The main highlight of this occasion is having the darshan of Shiva as Natraj, the god at his cosmic dance.
What happens during Arudra Darshan?
Arudra Darshan is a very grand event happening in the Shiva temples especially where the image of Natraj (dancing Shiva) is installed. This is a festival celebrated with great fervour and celebrity in Chidambaram, a temple dedicated solely to Natraj in Tamilnadu. It is considered highly auspicious and beneficial to view the procession of Lord Natraj on this day. All day long, there are holy baths and pujas conducted in the temples and at the end of the day, a special dish known as Kali is distributed to devotees.
Why Natraj Dances?
Lord Natraj facilitates a cosmic vision. The universe comes into existence through movement. Life goes on with the oscillation of particles. As long as there is vibration, there is life, growth and activity. Annihilation is nothing but stoppage of the movement and putting things to rest. Thus, the cycle of births and deaths goes on with the movement symbolized by the cosmic dance of Shiva. His dance occurs in every cell and every atom of the universe thus ensuring the continuity.
Natraj form Symbolism
Lord Natraj facilitates a cosmic vision. The universe comes into existence through movement. Life goes on with the oscillation of particles. As long as there is vibration, there is life, growth and activity. Annihilation is nothing but stoppage of the movement and putting things to rest. Thus, the cycle of births and deaths goes on with the movement symbolized by the cosmic dance of Shiva. His dance occurs in every cell and every atom of the universe thus ensuring the continuity.
What we must do on Arudra Darshan?
Visiting Natraj temple on the day of Arudra Darshan to view the puja and procession of the Lord is highly auspicious and said to give all the benefits to devotees. On this day, people receive a special kind of dish as prasad namely Kali (in Tamil), which is a sweet dish indicating bliss. It is said eating this shall remove all the afflictions of people and make them blissful.
Vaikunta Ekadashi
Vaikunta Ekadashi is one of the most important Ekadasis.Ekadashi is an auspicious day dedicated to Bhagvan Srihari Vishnu and falls on the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight in traditional Hindu calendar. In 2017, the date of Vaikunta Ekadasi is Friday, December 29. Swarga Vasal or or Paramapada opening is from 3:00 AM on December 29, 2017.Vaikuntha Ekadasi is observed in the Margali Month (Margazhi Masam) as per Tamil Calendar and in Dhanur Masa as per Telugu Calendar.
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is also known as Mukkoti Ekadashi in Kerala it is known as Swargavathil Ekadasi.
Vaikunta Ekadasi festival is more elaborately celebrated by Vaishnavites. It is more prominent for Tamil and Telugu speaking people. Fasting, keep vigil at night and passing through the Vaikunta Dwaram are the important auspicious activities on the day.
Vaikunta Ekadasi is celebrated with great importance in Tirupati Balaji Temple , Srirangam Ranganathaswami Temple , and Bhadrachalam Sita Ramachandraswamy temple. Apart from these temples, all the temples dedicated to Bhagvan Vishnu and his incarnations in South India celebrate Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Vaikunda Ekadesi festival is of great significance. In Kerala, it is known as Swarga Vathil Ekadashi. Next Vaikunta Ekadasi date is December 29, 2017.
The significance of Vaikunta Ekadasi can be traced back to the Padma Purana. The Purana indicates that Bhagvan Vishnu took the form of ‘Ekadasi’ – female energy – to kill demon Muran. This happened during the month of Margazhi. Impressed by ‘Ekadasi,’ Vishnu told her that whoever worships him on this day will reach ‘Vaikunta’ (heaven).
Like all Ekadasi days, devotees fast on this day and observe vigil the whole night. Some people indulge in meditation, Japa and singing of Hari Kirtan. Rice is avoided during ekadashi days as it is believed that the demon Mura finds a dwelling in the rice eaten on Ekadasi day.
It is widely believed that the gates to the heaven open - the Gate of Vaikuntha - on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day. It is one of the most auspicious days in Vishnu Temples in South India.
The ‘Vaikunta Dwaram’ or ‘the gate to the heaven’ is opened on this day. This is the passage encircling the innermost sanctum of the Lord. Scores of devotees queue up to pass through the Gate of Vaikunta in Vishnu Temples in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The most important ritual on the day in temples is the opening of the Vaikunta Dwaram or Paramapada Vasal door in Vishnu Temples. This door is only opened on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day and devotees are allowed to pass through it. Symbolically the door leads to the Vaikunta - abode of Vishnu.
Vaikunta Ekadasi is of immense importance at Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple, Bhadrachalam Temple etc.
Bhogi Pandigai 2017 - January 13 (Friday)
Bhogi Pandigai is widely celebrated across Tamil Nadu on the day preceding Thai Pongal. That is, the last day of the Tamil month of ‘Markazhi’ is observed and celebrated as Bhogi Pandigai. Furthermore, Bhogi Pandigai marks the beginning of celebrations of Pongal, which is one of the most important traditional festivals of Tamil people.
The theme of Bhogi Pandigai is to throw away and burn old and unwanted stuffs to bring in spiritual bhogam (prosperity) into our house and heart.
In 2017, Bhogi Pandigai will be celebrated on January 13th
The history behind the word 'Bhogi' has too many accounts. The widely reckoned etymology to the word 'Bhogi' is that the word 'Bhogam' entails 'receiving pleasure from divinity' and the day offering that divine pleasure is named after 'Bhogi'. Another legend accounts that Bhogi Pandigai is celebrated in the name of Lord Indhra (god of rain and thunderstorms).
The celebrations of Bhogi Pandigai usually start early in the morning where homes are usually cleaned and washed. Subsequently, women and girls decorate the houses with beautiful kolam (rangoli) drawn out of rice flour and kaavi (red-oxide). People take head baths on this day as a part of the Bhogi festival celebrations.
The next step is performing pujas and offering ‘Bholi’ (battercake with lentil or coconut filling prepared with jaggery) to the almighty as 'naivedhyam' (food offered to god as a part of ritual). Later people assemble to light up a large outdoor fire to burn old and unwanted stuffs.
Bhogi Pandigai is also celebrated in Andhra Pradesh in a grand manner on the same day as 'Bhogi' and as 'Lohri' in Punjab and 'Magh Bihu/Bhogali Bihu' in Assam.
A very delicious and rich meal is prepared and served on plantain leaf on this day which includes Pachadi, Parupu, Kootu, Poriyal, Varuval, Apalam, Vadai, Payasam, Bholi, Rice, Sambar, Rasam, Thayir and so on.
Hanuman Jayanti
In Tamil Nadu, Hanuman Jayanti is observed during the Margazhi month (December – January) (December 18, 2017 as per many panchangs).
Lord Hanuman symbolizes strength and unparalleled devotion and selfless service. He is the greatest devotee of Lord Ram and he is a Brahmachari (celibate) and humility is his hallmark.
The greatness of Hanuman is explained by Lord Ram in the Ramayan
Lord Ram said to Hanuman, ‘I am greatly indebted to you, O mighty hero. You did marvelous, superhuman deeds. You do not want anything in return. … you have not asked for anything at any time. You threw away the precious garland of pearls given to you by Sita.
How can I repay my debt of gratitude to you? I will always remain deeply indebted to you.
I give you the boon of everlasting life. All will honor and worship you like myself. Your idol will be placed at the door of my temple and you will be worshipped and honored first. Whenever my stories are recited or glories sung, your glory will be sung before mine. You will be able to do anything, even that which I will not be able to!’The Relevance of Hanuman Today
In today’s society of convulsions, inertia, selfishness, moral and social, spiritual and ethical decay, Lord Hanuman has become the standard bearer and the embodiment of courage, self-control, power, selfless service, bravery, integrity and humility.
Hanuman is alive and watching us.
Hanuman is Immortal – without death. Bhagavan Sri Ram granted him the boon that he will live as long as the story of Sri Ram is remembered in the world. Hanuman is present in all those places where the story of Bhagavan Ram is read or narrated.
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