Why Chitra Pournami is Celebrated by Hindus ?

In many religions a full moon is regarded as favorable because of its impact on people’s behaviour. Chitra is called Chitra Pournami in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April-May). It is a good day for eradicating ancient karma and new beginnings for creation and manifestation.

In The Year 2021, Chitra Pournami falls on 26th April, MONDAY (AS PER THE tHITHI).

It seems that the full moon promotes creativity and good feelings. It is said that sentiments are conducted through higher waves, leading to a wealth of positive energy and higher consciousness. Chitra Pournami, astronomically, is celebrated when the Sun is raised up in the Aries mark, and the Moon is in the constellation Libra by the bright star ‘Chitra’.

The story of Chitra Pournami

Padma Purana says that Chitragupta is Lord Yama’s assistant. He holds records of good and bad deeds or karmas of people on earth. It is claimed that when a person dies, Chitragupta checks the person’s list of bad and good karmas immediately and sends Lord Yama the message as a final decision on the person’s soul.

The name Chitra gupta also means the hidden pictures of all human deeds on earth. The effect on human beings is said to be profound on this day when the Sun and the Moon are generating a powerful energy around the earth.

The concept of Chitragupta being on guard against people’s activity on earth, especially on such a pleasant day, is to say that people on earth do not commit any sin. This helps to preserve goodness and good will in people’s hearts by urging them to commit themselves only to good work.

In temples on this day, a special pooja (prayers) is usually arranged, and your prayers will be answered when you pray to god to dissolve your past sins with sincerity and devotion. You also end up deciding not to perform actions that are considered to be sins in our culture through your prayer for higher energy.

Therefore, your urge to purify your Karmas, which are an obstacle to the fulfilment of your desire, brings you closer to God, in order to seek blessings for forgiveness.

What do you do on this day?

Chitra Pournami is particularly suitable for women, though pooja may even be done by men. After having taken a holy bath in the morning, women should clean the doorway and place the maakolam representing Chitragupta with paper and pen, or we may open padi kolam (Ezhakolam) as a sign of Lord Chitragupta’s entry on the south side.

We must make these items available in the pooja room before beginning the rituals consisting of the pooja-Paper, pencil, navadhanyam, rice and dhal. Sakaraipongal is prepared as neivedhyam or moong dal payasam can also be made with buffalo-milk instead of cow’s milk, because Chitragupta came from kamadenu.

Devotees are required to pray to Lord Chitragupta to take their good actions into consideration and ignore their evil deeds. Chitragupta Pooja books can be found in the bookshops and the slokas in them can be sung.

We also meditate to Lord Shiva and Chitragupta with incense and flowers bringing forth the significance of Chitra Pournami into our lives.

Source: AstroVed