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Andal Jayanti 2022: Date, Rituals, Bhog, Legend, History And Significance

Andal Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birthday of Goddess Andal whose main temple is in Shrivilliputhur, the birthplace of Andal. She was an ardent Vishnu devotee who saw Lord Vishnu as her suitor and worshipped him with all her faith to be finally elevated to the position of sainthood at a very young age. As this festival approaches, annually, it carries a festive mood alongside, and every household in Tamil Nadu is immersed in the ritual and puja routine on this day.

Andal Jayanti 2022: Date And Rituals

Goddess Andal, thought to be an incarnation of Bhudevi or earth goddess, is supposed to have uttered the legendary epic verse of Tiruppavai, in Tamil, when she was in a devotional trance. They have remained as a record of her faith and are regularly recited in the Tamilian households as a part of the Andal vrat, which is observed by young unmarried girls for getting a good husband like Vishnu as their marriage partner.

Andal Jayanti 2022: Date

Andal Jayanti is also known as Tiruvaadi Pooram as it is celebrated in the Aadi month of the traditional Tamil calendar, which as per the Gregorian calendar falls in the month of July or August, and going to be celebrated this time, on 01 August 2022. This is a major festival for the people of Srirangam Aadi pooram.

Andal Jayanti is a festival that is celebrated for 10 days, the last day of which is called Jayanti or Aadi Pooram and an event called Tirukalyanam is arranged between Lord Ranganath and Goddess Andal, every year. Lord Ranganatha is a form of Lord Vishnu.

Andal Jayanti 2022: Puja Rituals

During the Brahmi muhurta, the devotees wake up to have a ritual bath and decorate their houses in a festive manner with Kolam or Rangoli. A red lotus is also placed on her idol, as she evinced love for the red hued lotus. In temples, Andal idols are draped in red silk sarees, jewelleries and garlands. An elaborate feast prepared by everyone in the family, is prepared and offered to her. Special puja is conducted and then it concludes with the marriage ceremony of Goddess Andal with Lord Ranganath.

Aarti is conducted after which prasad is distributed. Tiruppavai and Lalitha sahasranamam are recited for her extended blessings. If the vrat day coincides with a Friday, it turns out to be luckier for the devotees. This festival is mainly celebrated in Tamil Nadu, especially in Srivilliputhur and Srirangam, and some parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and kerala in the month of Aadi.

Aadi pooram or the Andal Jayanthi is a ten-day festival which is observed with lot of devotion and fanfare. The last day is observed as the Jayanthi or the Aadi pooram and an event is organized called Thirukalyanam, which is the wedding between Goddess Andal and Sri Ranganathaswamy, who is Lord Vishnu.

Andal Jayanti 2022: Date And Rituals

Andal Jayanti 2022: Bhog

In shakti temples, glass bangles placed on the shakti idol are distributed amongst devotees as prasad. Standard food prasadam include tamarind rice, lemon rice, sweet Pongal, curd rice and soaked moong Dal. This is distributed amongst the devotees after the puja. Red rose, vermillion and Kalkand rice are offered to her on this day.

Andal Jayanti 2022: Legend

Andal is one of the chief exponents of Sri Vaishnavism tradition, and she was considered to be one of the 12th Alwars who were actually self-realized saints as per the Sri Vaishnavism school of thought. She chose Lord Vishnu to be the sole purpose of her life, and continued her pursuit till she successfully reached the Loka of Lord Ranganatha. As per the legend, Lord Ranganatha's devotee by the name of Vishnu Chitta, was childless for a long time. Finallly, he found a girl child while he was collecting flowers for the puja of God. He called her Kodhai. Whenever Vishnuchitta prepared a garland of Tulsi, Kodhai would wear it first and then offer it to the lord. It was discovered by some devotee who did not let her offer garland to the Lord that day.

The same day, in a dream, Lord Ranganatha appeared and asked to replace the garland with the one that was used by Kodhai. He firmly told the devotee that she was his consort and the flowers offered by her had purity and divine fragrance of devotion. Vishnu Chitta realized that she was indeed an incarnation of Bhudevi. He remembered she had this habit of worshipping Lord Ranganatha with worn and used flowers right from her younger years. Kodhai means scent of garland. Finally, she merged with God at the age of 16 and since then she is worshipped as a deity in the Temples of Tamil Nadu. Tiruppavai is a collection of 30 stanzas in the Tamil language, in praise of her Lord. Nachiar Tirumozhi and Tiruppavai are her widely recognized works which are centred on her unflinching devotion.

Andal Jayanti 2022: Date And Rituals

Andal Jayanthi 2022: Significance

Numerous devotional songs called Pasurams were composed by Goddess Andal, in praise of Lord Ranganatha.. This is believed to bless the devotee with progeny and also shield the unborn child from evil forces. She is worshipped to get a happy and successful life, blessings for the wellbeing of children, and a good spouse. Andal, roughly translates to English as "the one who ruled over God." She had this habit of offering flowers to God after she tried them on herself. Hence, she was also named "Sudi kodutha sudarkodi." The Word 'Aadi' signifies the fourth month in the Tamil calendar while 'Pooram' is one those 27 asterisms in the cosmos. In the Saiva temples, the day of Aadi Pooram is observed as the festival of 'Valaikappu.'

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Image sources: Wikimedia Commons

Story first published: Tuesday, July 19, 2022, 18:08 [IST]