ADI-POORAM FESTIVAL (JULY-AUGUST)

ADI-POORAM FESTIVAL (JULY-AUGUST)

In the month of Adi, the Pooram festival is celebrated in both the Saiva and Vaishnavatemples. The star Pooram is said to be the natal star of Ambal or the Goddess Sakthi. Hence, it is celebrated in almost all the Saiva temples. Since Adi-pooram is the birth-star of Sri Andal also, it is sacred to Vaishnavites as well.

This festival is very famous at Srivilliputtur and is elaborately celebrated in honour of Sri Andal, the ladysaint among the twelve Azhvars, for ten days. Adi- Tapasu Vizha is conducted in the Siva (Sankara-Narayanar) temple at Sankarankoil of Tirunelveli district. Ambal or Sakthi is considered to be the sister of Vishnu and the Ambal, here known as Gomathi Devi, is said to have desired to have darshan of both Siva and Vishnu inseparably together and performed a penance (tapas) therefore. Complying with her ardent desire, both Siva and Vishnu appeared before Her, together in the form, since known as Sankaranarayanar. This form symbolises the integration of the Saiva and Vaishnava sects; the azhvars and the Nayanmars have both sung on this combined or integrated form. Adi-pooram festival is enthusiastically celebrated in all the villages of South-India, to all the goddesses like Mariamman, etc., generally called the ‘grama-devatas’.