Aadi is a Tamil month which is considered special for the array of religious events it contains. Aadi Pirappu, Aadi Amavasya, Aadi Perukku, Aadi Thapasu, Aadi Velli, Aadi Karthigai, Aadi Puram, Varalakshmi vratam are the major events of the month.

Aadi is considered both auspicious and inauspicious. It is the propitious time for worshipping goddess Shakthi and special poojas are conducted for the Goddess on Fridays and Tuesdays of this month. At the same time, this month is considered inauspicious for conducting marriages, house warming, and other such events, since this month is the start of the Dakshinayana Kalam, which is the sleeping time for the Devas.

Let us see what are the special aspects of Aadi 2017.

1. Aadi Pirappu (July 17, 2017)

Aadi Pirappu falls on July 17. The day is called Aadi Pandigai. People celebrate it with delicacies like payasam, vadai and boli. It is a special day for the newly wedded couples-the son in law is invited home by the girl’s parents and the couple enjoys a grand feast and gifts like new clothes from the girl’s parents. The day is special for decorative Rangolis in front of homes and the doors are decorated with mango leaves. Married women change their yellow thread (Mangalya charadu) on this day.

On the first day of Aadi Dakshinayana Punya Kalam starts. The sun changes its direction and travels towards the South. As mentioned earlier, it is the night for the Devas, So, the first day of Aadi is considered suitable for pithru seva and many do tarpan on the day. Aadi tarpanam is considered very religious and sacred.

2. Aadi Amavasya (July 23, 2017)

Aadi Amavasya is one of the most sacred days for performing tarpan to the deceased forefathers. The No Moon Day (Amavasya)in Aadi is very special due to the start of Dakshinayana Punya Kalam and all people pay their obeisances to their ancestors without fail. This year Aadi Amavasya falls on July 23, Sunday.

3. Aadi Puram (July 26, 2017)

Aadi Puram is the grand bangle festival wherein a garland of bangles is offered to Goddess Shakthi in temples. It is like conducting Valaikaapu (a function conducted for the pregnant women to protect them from evil forces and safeguard the babe in the womb). After garlanding the Goddess with bangles, the bangles are distributed to women and they keep the bangles sacred since these bangles keep the evil forces away from them and yield offsprings to them.

Adi Puram is called Andal Jayanthi since Aadi is the birth month of Andal, one of the famous Alwars in Vaishnav Sampradhaya. Andal, the daughter of Periyalwar is a great devotee of Rengamannar(Vishnu) and became one with Him through her intense devotion. A 10-day festival is celebrated in Vishnu temples and Aadi Puram is the 10^Th day on which the Thirukalyanam of Andal with Rengamannar is conducted.

Aadi Puram falls on July 26, Wednesday this year.

4. Aadi Perukku (August 3, 2017)

Aadi Perukku is the 18^Th day of the Aadi month. This year, it falls on August 3^RD, Wednesday. We celebrate the day on the banks of the river Cauvery offering mixed rice varieties like lemon rice, coconut rice to Goddess Parvathi.

 It is a kind of thanks- giving festival to the rivers and waterbodies which provide water for our agricultural purposes. It is so because Aadi is the month when monsoon starts and most of the agricultural activities like ploughing, irrigation and sowing take place.

It is also a custom for us to plant some sapling at home during Aadi so that it will grow well. Aadi pattam thedi vidhai (ஆடி பட்டம் தேடி விதை)-this is how the saying goes.

Aadi Perukku is a day of fertility and women offer special prayers to Goddess this day. They perform abhishekam to Cauvery Amman.

5. Aadi Thapasu (August 6, 2017)

Aadi Thapasu has the mythological background of Goddess Parvathi’s (Gomathy Amman) meditation upon Lord Shiva who appeared before Her in the form of Lord Shankara Narayana. Aadi Thapasu is a very grand festival celebrated in Shankaranarayanar Swamy Koil, Tamilnadu.

6. Varalakshmi Vratam (August 4, 2017)

Varalakshmi Vratam falls on August 4, 2017. Varalakshmi Vratam is one of the grand religious events celebrated by women. It is celebrated on the Friday before Pournami and is celebrated at a grand level. It is offering prayers to all the 8 forms of Lakshmi (Ashta Lakshmi). As per Puranas, Goddess Parvathi asked Lord Shiva about the vrata that will be most beneficial for women. Shiva answered that Varalakshmi Vrata is the one that will bring all prosperity to women.

7. Aadi Krithigai (August 15, 2017)

August 15^Th is Aadi Krithigai, dedicated to Lord Muruga. Lord Muruga is worshipped on the day when the Karthigai nakshatra falls in the month of Aadi.

8. Aadi Velli and Aadi Chevvai

Aadi Velli is regarded as very sacred by women who are worshippers of Goddess Sakthi. Special poojas, abhishekam and alankarams are conducted to the Goddess and women pray ardently to the Goddess on all the Fridays and Tuesdays.

Aadi Fridays and Tuesdays are specially dedicated to Goddess Mariamman.

Thus, Aadi is auspicious for the worship of the Goddesses Lakshmi and Shakthi and also propitious for offering Pithru Seva. Let us devote most of our time on worshipping the Goddesses and paying respects to our ancestors to seek the best religious merits.