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Fairs & Festivals
in Tamilnadu
Pongal :
The four-day Harvest
festival is celebrated all over the state in January. The festival
begins on the last day of the Tamil month with Bhogi Pongal followed
by Surya
Pongal on the next day. It is on this day that Chakkara Pongal, a
delicacy of harvest rice cooked with jaggery, ghee and cashew nuts
is offered to the Sun God. The third day, Mattu Pongal is dedicated
to the Cattle when cows are bathed and adomed with colourful beads
and flowers. Jallikattu, the bullfight is held on the last day known
as Kannum Pongal.
Skanda Sashti :
Skanda Sashti is
celebrated in Saivite temples all over Tamilnadu on the sixth day
in the holy half of the month of Aippasi (Oct 15 - Nov 15). Legend
is that Skanda Sashti is celebrated on the destruction of evil by
the Lord Kartikeya, son of Shiva. When it comes to celebration
there must be mention of the grand celebrations at Tirupparankunram,
Tiruchendur, two of the 6 'Padai Veedu' temples of Murugan. At
Sikkal, the festival image of Subramanya receives a spear, from the
Ambal shrine, and breaks out in sweat, a day before the climax of
the festival.
Bhramotsavam :
In most of the South
Indian temples Bhramotsavam is celebrated. This is a ten day long
festival with the procession of festival images on gaily decorated
mounts. Srinivasa Bhattar and Koti Sreekrishna of Cincinnati,
present the significance of Bhramotsavam in SriVaishnava temples,
and describe the daily events in the 9 day long Bhramotsavam at
Tirupati.
Karthika Peruvizha :
The Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai is one of the grandest
in India. The Grand Kartikai Peruvizha, a complex festival involving
a multitude of festivites and hundreds of thousands of participants
happens with amazing regularity, each year - and can be described as
a case study in operations management.
Arudra Darisanam :
The pre-dawn hours of
the full moon night, in the tamil month of Margazhi coinciding with
the asterism of Tiruvadirai marks the auspicious time for Arudra
Darisanam - of Nataraja in Saivite temples all over Tamilnadu. The
10 day festival (Margazhi Peruvizhaa) is described in detail in this
feature.
Karthikai Deepam :
The festival starts on the Panchami before Pournami (fifth day of
the brighter half of the month of Kartikai ie. Nov 15 - Dec 15)
early in the morning with a brief flaghoisting ceremony (Dwajaarohanam).
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