“Aadi Perukku” is a Tamil festival celebrated in the Tamil month of “Aadi,” which falls roughly between mid-July and mid-August. The festival is predominantly observed in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. “Aadi” is the fourth month in the Tamil calendar and is considered auspicious for various religious and cultural celebrations.
Aadi is considered an auspicious month for worship and devotion, particularly for the worship of the divine feminine energy. Aadi month prioritizes prayers for Amman. Many important festivals and rituals dedicated to various goddesses are observed during this month. The Fridays of Aadi which is known as “Aadi Velli” are considered sacred, and devotees often visit temples to offer prayers and perform pujas.
Aadi month marks the beginning of the monsoon season in Tamil Nadu, bringing much-needed rain to the region. This rainfall is vital for agricultural activities, as it helps prepare the land for sowing seeds and cultivating crops. The onset of monsoon in Aadi month is crucial for the success of the upcoming farming season. This month is also associated with certain traditional practices and customs. People often refrain from conducting weddings or other celebratory events during this time due to its religious significance.
Aadi Perukku
One of the well-known festival during Aadi month is Aadi Perukku which is also known as “Pathinettam Perukku”. The term “Perukku” means “rising” or “to increase.” It falls on the 18th day of the Tamil calendar, indicating the beginning of the Tamil Nadu monsoon season. The 18th day of Aadi month which is Aadi Perukku is observed today, 3rd August 2023.
Aadi Perukku is celebrated to honor the water’s life-sustaining properties and to thank the rivers, especially the Kaaveri River, for their role in providing water for irrigation and other needs. The festival marks the beginning of the monsoon season and the swelling of rivers and water bodies due to the rains.
During the Aadi Perukku, all family members are said to gather and pray for a healthy harvest in the monsoon. All of the women cook special foods and rice varieties, including the Chithranam which is lemon rice, and share them with friends, relatives, and family members. They proceed to nearby rivers and lakes, where they light a special lamp made of rice flour and jaggery, which they arrange on mango leaves. Near the lamp, place flowers, turmeric, and yellow thread. These lamps are floated down the river.
Thali Changing Ritual
It is known that there is a traditional practice where women will change the thread of their Thali. It is customary to pay a visit to a temple near the river’s edge and pray to Goddess Amman. Following that, the married women who are addressed as “sumangali” in Tamil tradition will receive a new thali thread from elderly married women who will bless them with a long and happy married life.
If you wish to perform this ritual but could not make it to temple, not to worry! You can do this ritual at home.
Husbands will be sitting next to them while the ritual is being performed. Changing the thread of the Thali is seen as a symbolic act of renewal and purification for married women. Once the thread of the Thali is changed, the old thread will be left in the river. It is believed that just as the rains bring fertility and growth to the earth, changing the Thali symbolizes the renewal of marital bonds and the growth of love and harmony in the relationship.
Thali changing ritual could be a way for women to align themselves with the natural cycles and show gratitude for the life-giving properties of the river and the land. Aadi Perukku is a time for special prayers and rituals performed by married women for the well-being and prosperity of their families.
Source: Times Of India
