Significance of Aadi Masam

Aadi Masam (Masam-month) is the fourth month in Tamil Calendar and some people consider the month as inauspicious for humans and auspicious for devatas and pirudevatas. It is an auspicious month for spiritual activities for Tamilians, unlike for Telugu and others who call it as Aashadam or Aashada who consider this as an inauspicious one.

Dakshinayana Punyakalam, the night time of Gods, begins in the Aadi month. But numerous unique Tamil rituals and festivals are also observed during Aadi month so some people consider it as auspicious.

Well, by it is a coincident or so, in Hyderabad and other regions specially in Telangana region Bonalu festivity is celebrated in Aadi-Aashadam month. This Aadi month commences either in July or August every year depending upon the birth of the month. However, the month is considered as auspicious month all the rituals are restricted for the celebration and festivity connected with AMMAN-Goddess.

Marriages, House Warming or Thread Ceremony such functions are not held during this month. However, this being a Computer-Internet era, people are are also celebrating due to nonavailability of marriage hall which are booked much in advance, limited leaves for bride and groom if both are in different region or based abroad and so on.

The word Aadi is derived from the Sanskrit word Aash-adi. The months of Indian calendar are actually named after 27 STARS in zodaic system. Roughly, there could be two-three stars in particular month. The birth of Aadi which falls in the second of the year marks DAKSHINAYANAM PUNYA KALAM. From January to July mid or so is called UTTARAYANAM PUNYA KALAM. One can find the reference of the same in Mahabharata and Bhisma Parva where in, Bhisma waited till the birth of Uttarayana to give away his soul as he was blessed with a boon called "ICCHA MRUTYU"-that is to say, he can decide the day, time for his death.

Well, coming back to Aadi-it is believed that the transit of stars take places during night in Dakshinayana and transit of stars take during day time in Uttarayana. That is the reason marriages and other celebration connected with the humans are not celebrated in Aadi. However, in other Southern states marriages are performed in the month of Aadi because of calendar calculation difference of 15-20 days for commencement of every month.

Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays of this month are considered very auspicious. A lot of festivals are celebrated in this month. To begin with Aadi Masapirappu-birth of the Aadi month. This is followed by Aadi Amavasai, Aadi krithigai, Aadi Poorum, Aadi Perukk and Aadi Velli. Again, this Tamil month marks the beginning of all festivals throughout the year. All Fridays in this month especially the 1st and 3rd are very auspicious. All the four Fridays are divinely charged and gives immense energy to all the worshiper of Goddess Amman.

In some families the practice of "Puthukku Pal Thelikardhu" which means doing puja to Nagraja-Snake and offering him with milk, rice and jaggery and in turn also praying him not to harm anyone or get harmed and bless the family with abundance wealth, prosperity and happiness. It is to thank the reptile for being farmers friendly in checking the the rats and mice.

Aadi 18-Aadi Perukku

Aadi perukku a Tamil festival celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Adi (mid-July to mid-August). The festival pays tribute to water's life-sustaining properties.It is on this day all the rivers especially the South Indian rivers flow in fullest. All the water bodies are worshiped on this day and extended thanks giving on this day- wells, tanks, lakes, ponds, and rivers. So is with every temple which has sacred wells and tanks, and water in these resources are considered pure.

People flock to various water bodies and waterfalls and those living on the banks of the river beds and other important water sources offer pujas to the water goddess and river goddess. Aadi perukku is the day when every year nurseries are raised in the fields welcoming north- east monsoon. The main crop will be ready for harvest during Thai Pongal Celebration in 5 months duration.

Thousands throng to river Cavery in Srirangam to celebrate Aadi Perukku.

In Tamil Nadu it is on this day they go carrying cooked food like-Tenga Sadam -Coconut rice, Puli sadam-Tamarind rice and Thayir sadam-curd rice and spend the whole day on the river bed and water bodies sources. It is a outing day with family and friends.


Peedai Masam:

Aadi Masam is also known as Peedai Masam. Considering it as an an inauspicious month.   Peedai in Tamil means affliction, misfortune, sorrow, distress, misery, illness and extreme poverty. Colloquially this word is being used to scold a person, especially kids, who create lot of trouble.

Calling Aadi month as Peedai or inauspicious month is not appropriate. It has been wrogly interpreted from centuries without knowing its actual meaning.   The actual meaning here for Peedai is "Peetam" is the "highest seat" in our hearts for the Almighty. Hence, Aadi masam is very auspicious month.


 Month of separation for Mother-in-law and Daughter-In-Law:

More interestingly, similar to the practice of Aashadam where in the newly wed daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law and so with son-in-law and his mother-in-law are not suppose to be under the same shelter or house. So, it is practice of sending the daughter-in-law to her mother's place during this month.

Why married couple are separated in Aadi month?

In some regions newly married couples stay separate during Aadi month. There is a good reasoning behind it. Same holds well with Telugu and  Kannadigas also. This is because in earlier days it was considered that if a woman conceives (get pregnant) in Aadi month, she will deliver in March or April the hottest months. This would put the life of mother and child in danger.

However, Tamilians say it more openly that newly wed husband and wife are not suppose to be together for this month, so the newly wed bride is sent to her mother's place, nevertheless, the bride groom is invited by the bride’s family on the first day of Aadi ( these days, at the convenience of the groom any day in this month) and feast is organized and Aadi Pal sweet milk with coconut extraction and pal payasam is made and serve in new silver glass. So, it is a month of gain for newly wedded couple.

But in this hi-tech era, such custom is considered out dated one and not followed by many people today.

It is considered auspicious to get darshan and offering pooja on the following three Amman-Tayar-Sakthi Temples located at Tamil Nadu.

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