Why is Aadi Perukku celebrated in Tamil Culture? Learn important things related to this

The Tamil month ‘Aadi’ marks the onset of monsoon in Tamil Nadu. In this month, due to the monsoon, the water level in the rivers increases. The festival of Aadi Perukku is celebrated to show our gratitude to nature and to thank the river Kaveri. Aadi Perukku is a unique South Indian and specifically Tamil state festival celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of ‘Aadi’.

Aadi Perukku falls on 2nd or 3rd August every year. Aadi Perukku, is also known as Pathinettam Perukku. In “Padinettam Perukku” padinettu signifies eighteen, and perukku signifies beginning or rise. This festival is mainly celebrated by women in Tamil Nadu. Adiperukku as a water-ritual celebrated by women is said to honor nature. On this auspicious day, Goddess Parvati is worshiped with various rice dishes. Offerings of flowers, nuts and rice are made to holy rivers like the Kaveri. According to the Puranas, Goddess Parvati meditated on Lord Shiva to attain divine vision and Lord Shiva appeared as Shankha-Narayana Swami. It is believed that the incarnation of Shri Bhoomi Devi also took place in this month.

Usually, before the start of Aadi Perukku, water is released from the reservoirs to keep the river full for the devotees. People take a holy dip in the water and offer prayers at the bathing ghats along the river. After the puja, they have ‘kalandha sadham’ (a variety of rice) with family gathering by the riverside.

When is Aadi Perukku in the year 2024?

History and Meaning of Adi Perukku

Aadi Perukku is also known as Pathinettam Perukku. According to the Tamil calendar, the monsoon begins in the month of Aadi in Tamil Nadu. At this time an increase in the water level is observed in the river. Activities like sowing seeds, rooting and other processes in farming are done favorably in the month of Aadi in Tamil Nadu. Aadi Perukku is a grand occasion to celebrate fertility which has been celebrated since the time of kings and royal families.

Aadi Perukku is celebrated in honor of the life-sustaining properties of water which are a gift to humanity. People worship Mother Nature in the form of Amman deities. They also express their gratitude towards the river Kaveri during this time. In a way, it can be said to thank nature for showering its blessings, peace and prosperity. The water ritual is mainly performed by the women of Tamil Nadu as a form of tribute. She is worshiped by the lakes and all the perennial rivers and water bodies of the state. It is a typical event in South India and a notable festival of Tamil Nadu.

Celebration of Aadi Perukku

On the occasion of Aadi Perukku, unmarried girls perform rituals and worship along with the married women of the society. According to the ritual, unmarried women who offer sweets made of rice and jaggery, earrings of palm leaves and garlands of black color get the desired husband. Married men are invited by their in-laws and given new clothes as a gift. Married women go to their parents’ house and stay there for a month before Aadi Perukku. She returns with her husband a day after Aadi Perukku. Women usually prepare different rice items and offer them to the river Kaveri.

Those who are unable to visit temples for some reason, after performing puja at home, pour turmeric water on plants or sprinkle it on the deities in the puja shelf. Sakkarai Pongal is offered as Naivedya on this occasion. Women usually make beautiful kolams in front of the house on this day. Mango leaves are placed at the entrance. A special puja is performed by decorating the puja thali with porridge, coconut milk and vadai.

arrival of good times

Aadi Perukku is considered as a new beginning. Along with this, it is believed that buying something new on this day brings prosperity and wealth. Because of this unwavering belief, people prefer to buy gold on this day. With the money accumulated throughout the year, everyone can visit a jeweler’s shop on this day to buy a gold item of their choice. However, it is important that before buying gold, it must be tested for its quality and purity.

Aadi Perukku Honoring the Holy Rivers

The month of Adi is considered a good time to sow seeds and plant trees. At this time Lord Varuna starts showering his bountiful blessings in the form of rain. Vegetables planted at this time flourish better than those planted in other seasons and can be harvested over a period of 5 months, on the eve of the Thai Pongal festival.

In our country with a rich cultural heritage, holy rivers like the Ganges are worshiped with devotion as they have an ancient history of being closely related to Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Mother Ganga passes through the feet of Sri Hari Vishnu and Mahadev resides in Shiva’s hair.

Aadi Perukku Gratitude for Sustaining Life

The great Tamil scholar Thiruvalluvar, whose fame is world-wide, acknowledges the fact that if there is no rain, it can result in the end of the world, so it is very important to give importance to rain in this world. Realizing this, importance has also been given to the construction of water bodies in many places.

Water-rituals are celebrated not only to obtain materialistic benefits, but also to understand the role played by water in human life. So it is preserved to be passed on to future generations.

Adi Perukku a tradition

Traditionally, it is believed that young girls who worship by offering Karugamani (black pearls), Kadholai (twisting palm leaves to make earrings) and Kapparasi on the banks of the river are blessed with good husbands by the god. Get. On the day of Aadi Perukku, women worship Goddess Parvati. Various flavors of rice like sweet pongal, curd rice, tamarind rice, lemon rice etc. are prepared and offered with devotion to the goddess. Devotees take a dip in the holy water and wear new clothes. Now the holy bath of Kaveri Amman is done and the procession continues further.

Adi Perukku is also mentioned in Silpathikaram. Many married women come to the pond of Meenakshi temple every year on this day to change the thread on their ‘thali’ and girls are also included in this crowd, which shows that our culture is preserved. The husbands sit next to the newly married women during the changing of the marriage knots (thali).