Panguni Uthiram

Panguni Uthiram
Images of Murugan (centre) and his consorts, Devasena and Valli, venerated on this occasion
Observed byHindu Tamils
TypeHindu
SignificanceCommemoration of the weddings of Shiva and Parvati, Rama and Sita, Murugan and Devasena, Ranganatha and Andal
Manifestation of Ayyappan
Celebrationscar festivals, kavadi
ObservancesPuja in Vaishnava and Shaiva temples
Festival of the 63 Saints (Nayanars)
DateFull moon day of the month of Panguni
FrequencyAnnual

Panguni Uthiram (Tamil: பங்குனி உத்திரம், romanized: Paṅkuṉi Uttiram) is a Tamil Hindu festival. It is marked on the purnima (full moon) of the month of Panguni (14 March - 13 April).[1] It falls on the day the moon transits the nakshatram (asterism) of Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) in the twelfth month Panguni of the Tamil calendar.[2] This coincides with the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna/Chaitra.[3] Panguni is also the last month of the Solar Tamil Calendar year after which the next New Tamil Year begins.

Significance

Panguni Uthiram commemorates the weddings of Shiva and Parvati, Rama and Sita, Murugan (Kartikeya) and Devasena, and Ranganatha (Vishnu) and Andal. It is also marks the manifestation of Ayyappan.[4][5][6]

Lakshmi is said to have emerged from the Ocean of Milk during the legend of the Samudra Manthana on this occasion, celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanti.[citation needed]

The day is intended to underline the glory of grahasta dharma (the married life of a householder).[citation needed]

Religious practices

Devotees of Murugan carry a kavadi for the fulfillment of vows, marked in Murugan temples.

The Brahmanda Purana indicates that on Panguni Uthiram, millions of devas bathe in the Tumburu Tirtha, one of seven sacred tanks in the Venkateshvara Temple of Tirupati. Bathing in the temple tank during this occasion is said to release one from the cycle of rebirth.[7]

The day is of special significance to the worship of the prithvi lingam, the lingam the earth element, of the Ekambareswarar Temple at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, where festivities last for 13 days.[8]

According to regional tradition, Parvati in the form of Gauri married Shiva in Kanchipuram. Hence, this day is also celebrated as Gauri Kalyanam.[9]

References

  1. ^ University, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Jawaharlal Nehru (25 August 2017). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-5381-0686-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Pechilis, Karen (22 March 2013). Interpreting Devotion: The Poetry and Legacy of a Female Bhakti Saint of India. Routledge. p. 155. ISBN 978-1-136-50704-5.
  3. ^ Nakshatra Uttara Phalguni [1] Archived 9 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Chambers, James (1 July 2015). Holiday Symbols & Customs, 5th Ed. Infobase Holdings, Inc. pp. 885–886. ISBN 978-0-7808-1365-6.
  5. ^ Lalithasai (21 May 2012). "Significance of Panguni Uthiram". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  6. ^ L 2193, Srikrishna (12 March 2022). "Panguni Uthiram festival begins in Palani". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2 October 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Nair, Shantha (7 January 2014). Sri Venkateshwara. Jaico Publishing House. p. 94. ISBN 978-81-8495-445-6.
  8. ^ "Panguni Uthiram at Lord Ekambaranathar Temple". Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  9. ^ "பங்குனி உத்திரம் -புராண கதை மற்றும் முக்கியத்துவம் என்ன? - ராமன் சீதையையும் கரம் பிடித்த நாள்". Samayam Tamil (in Tamil). Retrieved 2 October 2022.