visesha divasangal

                  Visesha divasangal   15-02-10  to 31-03-10

18-02-10       Thursday          Shukla Chathurthi Vratham

20-02-10        Saturday         Saturday  Shukla Shathi Vratham

24-02-10         Wednesday    Smaartha Ekadasi

25-02-10          Thursday        Vaishnava Ekadasi

26-02-10          Friday             Mahapradosham

27-02-10           Saturday        Holi

28-02-10          Sunday            Masi Makham Pournami   Attukal Pongala  in Trivandrum

03-03-10          Wednesday   Sanakatahara Chathurthi

11-03-10           Thursday       Sarva Ekadasi

12-03-10           Friday             Sravana Vratham *

13-03-10           Saturday        Mahapradosham     (Sani Pradosham is very auspicious)

14-03-10           Sunday          Meenaravai Sankaramanam at 09.33 PM  KARADAYAN NOMBU**

15-03-10           Monday         Meena masam begins.  Sarva Amavasya (somavara Amavasya)

16-03-10           Tuesday         Ugadi    Telugu new years day

19-03-10            Friday            Shukla Chathurthi Vratham

21-03-10            Sunday           Shashti Vratham

26-03-10            Friday             Sarva Ekadasi

27-03-10            Saturday        Mahapradosham

29-03-10            Monday         Pournami   Pankuni Uthram

                                                                   

*On Sravana or Thiruvonam nakshatra special abhishekam and pujas are held for Lord Vishnu in all temples. It is the nakshtra of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala, Tirupati. Devotees fast on this aupicious day.

On Sravana Purnima, Srinivasa Kalyanam is held on all Tirumala Venkateshwara temples. In Oppilliappan temple special deepam is lit and special pujas are held. The Onam festival, celeberated in Kerala, comes in this nakshatra. 2010 dates of Sravana Vratham is given below.
16 January 2010 -- Saturday - Sravana Vratham
13 February 2010 -- Saturday - Sravana Viratham
12 March 2010 -- Friday --- Sravana Dwadashi - Sravana Viradham
08 April 2010 -- Thursday - Sravana Vratham
5 May 2010 -- Wednesday - Sravana Vratham
2 June 2010 -- Wednesday - Sravana Viratham
29 June 2010 -- Tuesday - Sravana Viradam
26 July 2010 -- Monday - Sravana Vratham
23 August 2010 -- Monday - Sravana Viratham
19 Sepetember 2010 -- Sunday - Sravana Vratham
16 October 2010 -- Saturday - Sravana Vratham
13 November 2010 -- Saturday - Sravana Vratham
10 December 2010 -- Friday - Sravana Vratham

The Story of Tamil Karadayan Nombu – Based on the legend of Satyavan Savitri

Karadayan Nombu or Vratam is an important fast observed by Tamil women. It is based on the legend of Satyavan and Savitri. Based on this myth each region in India observes an Upvaas in different time of the year. In Tamil Nadu, it is observed during the transition of Tamil Month Maasi and Panguni. The story of Satyavan and Savitri is a sub plot in the Mahabharata.

King Ashtapati had a beautiful and intelligent daughter named Savitri. The King gave her the permission to choose her husband. One day, Savitri met a young man in the forest who was carrying his blind parents in two baskets balanced on either side of a stick. The young man was Satyavan.

Impressed by Satyavan’s devotion towards his blind parents, Savitri decides to marry him. On enquiry, the King found out from Sage Narada that Satyavan was the son of a deposed king and that he was destined to die in a year.

King first refused to the marriage but Savitri was adamant. Finally, the King relented and the marriage was conducted and the couple left for the forest.

They led a happy life and soon a year passed and Savitri realized that Satyavan would die any moment. So she kept fast and always followed him. She cooked a special adai and served it to her family and gave some as offering to the Gods.

Next day, she followed Satyavan to the forest. While cutting woods, he fell down and fainted. Soon, Savitri realized that Satyavan is dying. Suddenly she felt the presence of Yama, the god of death. She saw him carrying the soul of Satyavan and she followed Yama.

Yama first ignored Savitri thinking that she will soon return back to her husband’s body. But she persisted and kept on following him. Yama tried few tricks to persuade her but nothing worked. Then Yama said that it is impossible for him to give back the dead as it is against the nature’s law. Instead, he will give her three boons.

Savitri agreed with the first boon she asked for a son for her father. With the second boon she asked that her in-laws be reinstated in their kingdom with full glory.

Finally, for the third boon she asked ‘I would like to have children.’

Yama immediately said ‘granted.’ But soon Yama realized that he had been tricked by Savitri.

Yama remained silent for a minute and then smiled and said ‘I appreciate you persistence. But what I liked more was you readiness to marry a man whom you loved even though you knew that he would only live for a year. Go back to your husband he will soon wake up.’

Soon Savitri and Satyavan were reunited.

 

To commemorate the great event  women are celebrating the nombu.   The delicacy of the function in Nolumbu adai.  All women including Kanyakas and married women wear the charade on the  muhurtam of the birth of  Meena masam.  One charadu is tied to Thulasi at home also.

PANKUNI UTHRAM

This is an important day, the birthday of Lord Aiyappa.  Parvathi Kalyanam and many other celestial marriages are stated to have been celebrated on this day.  In Palani, people from the banks of river Kaveri  at Kodumudi bring water pitchers tied in the shape of Kavadi and offer the theertham as abhishemkam to Dandayuthapani.

On Chathurthi days coming after amavasya or Shukla Chathurthi, Vratam with mild or no rice food is observed in honour of Mahaganapathi and in the evening before concluding the Vratam, Arghyam is given.

  

On Chathurthi days coming after Pouranmi, Sankatahara Chathurthi is celebrated.  In Ganesha temples in the evening abhishekam is offered and Sumptuous quantity of Paal Payasam ( porridge or rice and milk) is offered as naivedyam.  Lord Ganesha is happy about this day so much that he will relieve the people who offer pooja of all unhappiness and shower wealth and well being on them.

On Shashti days coming after amavasya or Shukla Shashti, Vratam, with practicall no food during the day is observed in honour of Lord Subramania and in the evening Arghyam is offered to the God.

On Ekadasi days, both after amavasya and pournami, mild vrtatam is observed in honor of Lord Mahvishnu and the Paarana of consuming of thulasi theertham is done on the next day (dwadasi morning)

On both Mahapradosham days vrata is observed in honour of Lord Siva.  Especially after about 4PM in the evening till 7 pm rudrabishekam, dhara, etc are conducted in all Siva temples where people attend in large numbers.  No food, even water should be taken during pradosham. One need not visit any other temple other than Siva temple during Pradosham because all deities are supposed to assemble at Siva Temple to see the Dance of Shiva during that time

When Pradosha falls on a Saturday, it is sanipradosha and considered very auspicious.

On amavasya days  Brahmins who have lost their fathers have to offer Tarpanam to pitrs of  their fathers side as well as mothers side.