Source: https://www.prokerala.com/festivals/aadi-pooram.html
Aadi Pooram: Significance, Story, Rituals
Aadi Pooram (Tamil: ஆடிப்பூரம்), also called as Aandal Jayanti is a prime festival of Tamilians. This festival is dedicated to Goddess Andal, an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. Aadi Pooram is celebrated on the Pooram Nakshatram of Aadi month according to the Tamil calendar, and it corresponds to the English months of July-August.
Aadi Pooram is the celebration of the birth day of Andal and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour in the places all over the world with Tamil population. The day of Aadi Pooram is also observed as the day of Goddess Shakti as it is believed that the Goddess herself comes to Earth in this auspicious day, to bless Her devotees. The devotees therefore worship their deity with full dedication to lead a happy and prosperous life.
The word ‘Aadi’ signifies the fourth month in the Tamil calendar while ‘Pooram’ denotes one of the 27 Nakshatras mentioned in the Hindu Astrology. The story of Goddess Andal is known all through the state of Tamil Nadu and her devotion to Sri Ranganatha (a form of Lord Vishnu) is widespread in the whole of southern India. The celebrations of Aadi Pooram are very splendid in almost all the Lord Vishnu temples located in Tamil Nadu. The day also holds immense significance in Goddess Shakti temples scattered all over the country. In the Saiva temples, the day of Aadi Pooram is observed as the festival of ‘Valaikappu’. In the event, glass bangles are offered to Goddess Andal and then distributed among all devotees. It is believed that by wearing these bangles, the couples will be blessed with offspring and also when pregnant women wear these bangles; it shields their child from all the evil forces.
Story of Andal
The story of Adi Pooram revolves around the life and divine contributions of Andal, who was born in Srivilliputhur, a town in Tamil Nadu. Andal, also known as Goda Devi, was found as a baby in the temple's gardens in Srivilliputhur by the temple's chief priest, Periyalvar. He lovingly adopted her and raised her as his own.
Andal grew up to be a dedicated devotee of Lord Vishnu, particularly in His form as Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam, another famous temple in Tamil Nadu. She would weave garlands of fresh flowers daily and offer them to the deity with pure love and devotion. Legend has it that Andal considered herself to be the bride of Lord Ranganatha and expressed her longing to be united with Him in her poems, known as "Tiruppavai" and "Nachiar Tirumozhi."
Her profound love and devotion to Lord Vishnu made her a symbol of bhakti (devotion) in Hinduism. Andal's poems, rich with religious fervor and emotions, continue to inspire millions of devotees across generations.
During the Adi Pooram festival, the life and contributions of Andal are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Temples, especially the ones dedicated to Goddess Andal, are beautifully adorned with flowers, lights, and decorations. Special processions are held, wherein the temple deities are carried in palanquins and paraded around the streets while devotees sing devotional hymns and chant mantras.
One of the highlights of the festival is the reenactment of Andal's marriage to Lord Vishnu. The divine wedding ceremony, known as "Andal Kalyanam," is a grand affair where devotees gather to witness the sacred union between the Goddess and the Lord.
Rituals during Aadi Pooram:
Aadi Pooram is a 10-day festival observed with great pomp and show in all Lord Vishnu temples in the state of Tamil Nadu. Of these, the last day (10th day) is observed as ‘Aadi Pooram’ and a grand marriage ceremony of Goddess Andal and Sri Ranganathaswamy is conducted. This event is also known as ‘Thirukalyanam’.
On the day of Aadi Pooram, the women of the household get up early and start making the preparations. They decorate their house beautifully with kolam. Goddess Andal is fond of lotus flower, red color and kalkandu rice. The women of the household make an elaborate meal for offering to the Goddess.
n the temples, Goddess Andal is adorned with silk saree, glittering jewelleries and garlands. An elaborate feast is offered to the Goddess that is contributed by every household in the community. As the festival of Aadi Pooram celebrated the marriage of God and Goddess, thousands of devotees visit the temples to witness this ceremony.
Special rituals are performed on this day that is accompanied by playing the traditional music. The celebrations continue till late at night and then after the ‘aarti’ the food is distributed among the devotees.
On this auspicious day, the devotees also read the ‘Thiruppavai’ and ‘Lalitha Sahasranamam’.
The celebration of Aadi Pooram is very elaborate in the Goddess Andal temple at ‘Srivalliputtur’, which is the birth place of Aandal located in Tamil Nadu. The 12-day festival here marks the birth star of Goddess Andal. This festival is also observed as a big event at ‘Srirangam Sri Ranganath Temple’ for a period of ten days. On the last day, the marriage ceremony of Lord Ranganatha and Andal is held with great pomp and show. It is a popular belief that unmarried girls who worship Goddess Andal on the last day will very soon get married. Moreover when the festival of Aadi Pooram falls on a Friday, as per the belief, it becomes more auspicious and the celebrations become more elaborate with countless rituals.
|