Thiru Aadi Pooram

Aadi Pooram, also known as Andal Jayanthi, is one of the most significant festivals in the Tamil calendar. In 2024, Aadi Pooram will occur on the 7th of August. The festivities will begin on the 6th of August(Tuesday) at 6:42 pm and end on the 7th of August(Wednesday) at 9:03 pm.

Aadi Pooram is a festival that celebrates the birth and marriage of Goddess Andal, who is considered to be an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu. It is observed in the Tamil month of Aadi, which falls between July and August, under the Pooram star. Mostly aadi pooram festival celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Andal Jayanti or Thirukalyanam.

Significance of Aadi Pooram

Aadi Pooram is dedicated to Andal, a revered female saint and one of the twelve Alvars (saint poets) in the Tamil Vaishnavite tradition. Andal is celebrated for her unwavering devotion to Lord Vishnu, and her compositions in praise of the deity are cherished as sacred scriptures.

Aadi Pooram: Celebration of Celestial Marriage

The festival is celebrated with great devotion and grandeur in all Lord Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu, especially at the Shri Ranganatha Temple in Srivilliputhur, where Goddess Andal was born. The temple conducts a 10-day festival, where the idols of Andal and Ranganatha are taken out in a procession and adorned with beautiful ornaments and garlands. On the last day, a grand marriage ceremony is performed, where Andal and Ranganatha are united as husband and wife. The devotees witness this auspicious event and seek blessings from the divine couple.

Andal: The Divine Poetess

The story of Andal is very inspiring and fascinating. She was found by a saint named Periyalwar, who was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. He adopted her as his daughter and named her Goda, which means “gift of God”. He taught her the Vedas and the principles of bhakti (devotion). Goda grew up to be a beautiful and pious girl, who had a deep love for Lord Vishnu. She used to wear the garlands that her father made for the Lord, before offering them to him. She also composed beautiful poems in praise of the Lord, which are known as Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Thirumozhi. These poems are considered to be sacred scriptures and are recited by devotees during the month of Margazhi (December-January).

One day, Goda had a dream that she married Lord Ranganatha, who was the presiding deity of Srirangam temple. She told her father about her dream and expressed her desire to marry him. Her father was surprised and doubtful, but he decided to take her to Srirangam and seek the Lord’s will. When they reached the temple, the Lord himself appeared and accepted Goda as his bride. He gave her the name Andal, which means “she who ruled over him”. He also declared that she was his eternal consort and that whoever worships her will attain his grace. Thus, Goda became Andal and attained union with her beloved Lord.

The Message of Aadi Pooram

Aadi Pooram is a festival that celebrates this divine love story and the glory of Andal, who showed the world how to attain God through simple devotion and surrender. She is revered as one of the 12 Alwars (saints) who sang the praises of Lord Vishnu and his incarnations. She is also regarded as one of the prominent women poets and mystics in Hinduism. She is an inspiration for all devotees who seek to love God with all their heart and soul.

Aadi Pooram Pooja Procedure

The Aadi Pooram Pooja is a special ritual that is performed by devotees to honor Goddess Andal and seek her blessings for marriage and childbearing. The pooja can be done at home or at any Vishnu temple that celebrates Aadi Pooram. The pooja procedure varies from temple to temple, but some common steps are:

• Take a bath in the morning and wear clean clothes.
• Prepare a small altar with a picture or idol of Goddess Andal.
• Decorate the picture or idol with flowers, sandalwood paste, kumkum, turmeric, etc.
• Offer glass bangles to Goddess Andal as a symbol of marital bliss.
• Light a lamp and incense sticks in front of the altar.
• Recite or listen to the Thiruppavai or Nachiyar Thirumozhi songs composed by Andal.
• Offer sweet pongal or payasam as naivedyam (food offering) to Goddess Andal.
• Perform aarti with camphor or ghee lamp.
• Pray to Goddess Andal for your wishes and thank her for her grace.
• Distribute the prasad among your family members or friends.

Some temples also conduct a special ceremony called Valaikappu or Valaikaapu Thirukalyanam, where Goddess Andal is adorned with glass bangles and married to Lord Ranganatha in a grand manner. Devotees can participate in this ceremony by offering bangles, flowers, fruits, etc., to the divine couple.

Aadi Pooram is a wonderful occasion to celebrate the love and devotion of Goddess Andal towards Lord Vishnu. By performing this pooja, you can invoke her blessings for a happy married life and progeny.

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