Significance of Aadi Pooram

Aadi is a well-celebrated Tamil month, regarded as holy and meant for Divine worship, especially of Goddesses.

1. Significance of Aadi Pooram

Aadi Pooram
Aadi is a well-celebrated Tamil month, regarded as holy and meant for Divine
worship, especially of Goddesses. It also marks the beginning of Dakshinayan, the
southward journey of the Sun. Sacred texts claim that the half-year beginning with
Aadi marks the nighttime of Devas, the celestials. The month of Aadi corresponds
to the period from mid-July to mid-August.
Aadi Pooram refers to the Day of Star Pooram falling during Aadi. This occasion has
immense significance as the Day of the advent of Andal when the Goddess is said
to have incarnated and come down to earth as Andal. While people perform Aadi
Pooram Pooja on the occasion for Andal and her consort at home, Temples,
especially the Vishnu Temples, hold the 10-day Aadi Pooram festival to celebrate
Goddess Andal Avatar. Devotees also refer to this Day reverentially as Thiru Aadi
Pooram and also as Andal Jayanthi, the Day of birth of Andal.
This Year, Aadi Pooram falls on July 22, 2023, Saturday.


The Story of Andal
Saint Periyalwar, a staunch Vishnu devotee, maintained a flower garland in his
place Srivilliputhur. He used to collect flowers, sting them together into garlands
and offer them daily to the deity, Lord Vishnu, in the Temple there. As per the
legend, one Day, he found a newborn baby girl in the garden, named her Kodhai,
and brought her up very dearly as his daughter. Right from childhood, Kodhai took
to Vishnu devotion after her father, who told her many stories about the Lord and
his incarnations. Soon, she fell deeply in Divine love with Krishna, the charming
Vishnu Avatar, and became determined to marry none other than Krishna himself.
To satisfy herself that she was indeed a suitable match for Krishna, she started
wearing the flower garlands that her father made without his knowledge before he
offered them to the deity and was happy to find her beautiful and fit to be the

2. Divine consort. However, Periyalwar found that out one Day, felt deeply offended
by what he regarded as a sacrilege, chided his daughter, and held back the garlands
from offering to the deity that Day.
But that night, the Lord appeared in Periyalwar's dream, said to him that he
preferred the garland his daughter already wore and gave him, and told the Alwar
to offer him only the garland, worn and given by Kodhai. Periyalwar realized that
the girl he was bringing up as his daughter was none other than Vishnu's consort
Goddess Lakshmi herself! Thus Kodhai came to be referred to as Andal, the one
who ruled the Lord himself.
Soon, Periyalwar received the Divine command that Lord Vishnu himself would
marry Andal. Accordingly, Periyalwar took his daughter, the bride, in a palanquin
to the famous Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, where Lord Vishnu, as
Ranganatha, married her and Andal merged with the Lord.
Andal is also a great devotional poet who composed many hymns in praise of
Vishnu, especially Krishna. While her 'Thiruppavai' composition of 30 songs sings
about the Vrat observed by maidens to receive the grace of Krishna, her other
composition, 'Nachiyar Thirumozhi' narrates in great detail her wish of marrying
Krishna in a grand ceremony.
People chant and sing these songs with much devotion in Temples, homes, music
concerts, and also in dance recitals.
Aadi Pooram Pooja
People celebrate Goddess Andal's birth or advent with much devotion at home and
perform Aadi Pooram Pooja. Women get up early in the morning, freshen
themselves up, clean the house, decorate the altar or the place earmarked for
Pooja, install an idol or picture of Andal there, adorn it preferably with lotus
flowers, and draw beautiful Kolam (Rangoli) in front with color. They also decorate
the entrance of the house with Kolam and festoons made of fresh mango leaves.
They also make candy crystal rice as a unique offering to Andal and prepare a
sumptuous feast at home as part of the Aadi Pooram Pooja and celebrations.

3. Many also recite or sing songs from Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Thirumozhi, Andal's
compositions, and hymns in praise of Andal and visit Temples. They also distribute
food as Prasad to others.

Aadi Pooram Festival

The occasion of Andal's birth is celebrated enthusiastically as the Aadi Pooram
festival in all Vishnu Temples in Tamil Nadu. It is usually a 10-day festival
culminating in Aadi Pooram when they celebrate Goddess Andal's marriage with
Lord Vishnu or Ranganatha.
The grandest celebration of the Aadi Pooram festival takes place at Andal's
birthplace Srivilliputhur when they hold 12 days of festivities in her Temple. They
conduct special Poojas, Archanas, and Abishekams (hydration ceremonies) daily
and hold processions on various mounts and the car festival. The grand marriage
ceremony of Andal with Rangamannar remains the highlight of the festival when
they perform the entire marital rituals to the accompaniment of chanting of Sacred
hymns, singing and playing of traditional musical instruments, witnessed by
thousands of devotees. Srirangam Temple, associated closely with the Andal
legend, also celebrates the Aadi Pooram festival with religious fervor.
There is a firm belief that Andal's grace, especially on the auspicious Aadi Pooram,
can bless the eligible with suitable spouses and the married with a long, happy
married life.
Let us also meditate on Andal on Aadi Pooram and seek her Divine blessings.
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