Dhanurmasam | Tiruppavai | Pongal Month

Thiruppavai means penance/ pious observance that includes fasting and prayers for achieving something good.

The word "Thiru" translates to holy. The word "Pavai" refers to the rituals performed by unmarried girls to God to uphold a vow. Pavai is also a genre. It is the melodious singing of songs by the devotee to please God.

One popular religious observance kept by people of Southern India is the Dhanurmasam month, also known as the Pongal Month. During this month, devotees sing Thiruppavai hymns, one each per day, for 30 days and offer the Pongal as Naivedyam to Lord Krishna/ Lord Ranganatha Swamy.

Dhanurmasam is the name of a solar calendar month that falls between the 15/16th of December to 14/15 th of January. It is the Sagittarius month. It is also known as "Margazhi" month in the Tamil Calendar.

Pongal is a recipe prepared during this month by the devotees with rice and split moon dal (cooked well in steam) and then topped with pepper, ginger, cashew nuts, cumin, etc. This Pongal is offered to God as naivedyam after the worship during these 30 days. So, it is known as Pongal Month also.

Now, coming to Tiruppavai, the original ritual was performed by a saint known as Goda Devi to uphold her wish to marry God. She is a Tamil saint born in Sri Villiputtur, Tamil Nadu, in the 8th century CE. She was a priest's daughter and naturally was attached to God from her childhood. She loved her God so dearly that she vowed to marry Him only and performed the ritual of worshiping God in the form of Krishna assuming herself as a cowherd. She created verses, one each per day for 30 days, and sang them melodiously with pure devotion abstaining from all worldly desires. She invited other maids from her village also to join in her worship. She offered flower garlands after testing them herself to assure herself they were fresh and good. In the end, she got married to the Temple God Ranganatha Swamy in Sri Rangam as per the wish of God (who appeared in a dream to her father and ordered him to do so) and transformed into an idol beside him in that temple.

From that period onwards, the devotees started to perform this ritual during the same period every year worshiping Goda Devi as Andal (or as Ranganayaki Taayar) and Lord Ranganatha Swamy.

During this period, we worship Vishnu in the form of Sri Ranganatha Swamy or Krishna and Lakshmi as Andal or vice versa. Each day, we chant one Pasuram from Tiruppavai (chronologically) and offer Pongal as naivedyam to God after the worship. It culminates on the final day as Makar Sankranti.

Tiruppavai Essence

Thiruppavai is a profound expression of Vedic knowledge, summarized in 30 hymns. On the surface, it involves the performance of rituals through the chanting of hymns and observing fasts to attain material benefits, such as enjoying a feast with Krishna or receiving a small drum-like instrument from Him. However, if you delve deeper, you will discover the true treasure: a transcendental spiritual reunion with God. It requires a lot of deep meditation into the meanings of each hymn.

For the time being, I am providing the general layman's perception of the significance of Tiruppavai.

Tiruppavai contains 30 hymns which are to be recited daily during the month of Margazhi (Dhanurmasam) with true devotion to God for attaining some spiritual benefits. It was performed by Andal, a divine saint, more than a millennium ago to marry Lord Krishna (replicating the ritual performed by Radha and other Gopis during the Dwaparayuga). So, if we observe this ritual, we too can attain a reunion with God.

The first five hymns of the Tiruppavai introduce the main theme of the ritual. They emphasize the importance of maintaining purity in both body and mind and of abstaining from all material pleasures during the Margazhi season. Devotees are encouraged to focus on the virtues of God and to sing songs that glorify Him. Offering flowers to God is also an important practice. By engaging in these actions, the sins from both our past and present lives can be eradicated through God's grace. Ultimately, He will grant us the Parai, which represents the eternal blissful reunion with Him.

In the next ten hymns (hymns 6 to 15), Andal emphasizes the awakening of her friends, encouraging them to take a purifying bath, wear clean clothes, gather flowers, and perform the ritual together so that everyone can benefit from it. She inspires each gopika by reminding them of their inherent virtues and urges them to leave their homes to participate in the ritual and enjoy its spiritual rewards. 

 

Andal describes the natural daily life and activities occurring in the surroundings, such as the blossoming flowers, the chirping of birds, the churning of milk, the ringing bells around the necks of the cattle, the echoes of temple bells, and the melodious tunes sung by the sages visiting the temple. She points out to her companions that all of these elements are signs of the approaching dawn and the time for worship.

Hymns 16 to 20 describe her visit to the temple. The temple in this case is supposed to be that of Lord Krishna's house. She approaches the gate along with her companions and requests the guards to open the gates as she, along with her friends, likes to sing the awakening songs to Lord Krishna. She awakens Krishna's father and mother, and brother Balarama along with Krishna. But, She needed to awaken Niladevi before Krishna. So, she awakens her in the stanzas 18 to 20.

The last nine Pasurams (21 to 29) deal with the glorification of Krishna's virtues. In  the 27th pasuram, Goda Devi enlists her desires to feast with him. The 28th and 29th Pasurams describe her ignorance and her surrendrance before Him.

The 30th hymn is a concluding envoie attesting herself as the daughter of the temple priest, Vishnu Chitta, and the assertion that whoever sings these 30 hymns with pure devotion to God will attain Krishna's grace. 

For Tiruppavai Pasurams (with full meanings), you may go to this link and read the hymn you want.

For Makar Sankranthi celebrations (and 4-Day Pongal festivities), you may like to view this post.

Dhanurmasam in Vaishnava Sampradayam

Vaishnava Sampradayam

Vaishnavas are just like Brahmins. But, they worship Lord Lakshmi Narayan instead of Lord Shiva. Vaishnava sampradaya means the traditional practice and lifestyle of those who follow the doctrine of Vaishnavism. Lord Vishnu is their God and they believe Him to be the superior Almighty of all Gods.

Vaishnavism

Vaishnavism is based on the doctrine and school of thought which preaches that Lord Vishnu or Sriman Narayana is the Supreme Power and Saviour of this universe and you can attain moksha or peace and tranquility by worshipping and obtaining his grace.

Sri Ramanujacharya is the Founder of this Vaishnavism.

What is Dhanurmasam

Dhanurmasam is a month considered to be very auspicious for worshipping God and possessing his grace and attaining moksha. Vaikunta Ekadasi falls in this auspicious month which is considered as a very great time for directly reaching God through winning his grace. This Dhanurmasam is called so because it is the month during which Sun is in the Dhanus Rasi. A rasi is known as an astrological sign. It is held in astrology that Sun passes through 12 rasis in one year. So, each rasi is equal to one month. There are 12 months and 12 rasis in one year.

The month during which the Sun remains in the Dhanus rasi is known as Dhanurmasam. 

Normally, this Dhanurmasam falls during the period of 16th December to 14th January, every year. This period is very auspicious for Vaishnava sampradaya people.

Importance of Dhanurmasam

During dhanurmasam, Andal or Goda Devi, one of the 12 Vaishnava Alvars, worshiped God with true devotion and utter love and married Him on the culminating Bhogi festival day(the final day of dhanurmasam). Andal literally means one who ruled over God with her pure and innocent, untainted love towards Him. She wore the flower garlands to verify whether they are good-looking or not and then only offered to God.

She worshiped God by composing 30 hymns on all 30 days praising His glory in her own Tamil Language. It is a kind of taking a spiritual bath herself in God's grace all those 30 days and winning His Love and heart through a marriage.

So, this month is considered as very auspicious by all Vaishnavas for performing puja or the worship to attain Salvation from all worldly problems.

You may view the full story of Andal Clicking this link.

How to Perform Dhanurmasam Puja

Dhanurmasam is to be performed on all the 30 days starting from the day Sun entering the Dhanus rasi and ending on the day prior to the sun entering the Makara rasi.

The day Sun enters makar Rashi is celebrated as Makar Sankranti.

One should get up early in the morning and after bathing, wear pious clothes and cook the Pongal for offering to God. Prior to that, the house and neighborhood need to be cleaned and a feeling of the religious atmosphere is to be created for experiencing a better spiritual feeling and divine happiness. You may decorate your house with flower garlands and mango leaves, etc. House entrance needs to be taken more care of. The door entrance wooden frame bottom portion (threshold or doorway) can be decorated by applying turmeric paste and spots of kumkum or rori. Rangoli is done in front of the door entrance to bring a beautiful look to your house entrance. There is a tradition of placing Gobbillu in the rangoli throughout the month of dhanurmasam. It gives a religious and spiritual atmosphere to your house.

I am dealing with only the Vaishnava method of doing Dhanurmasam in this article. So, to know more about Sankranti or Makar Sankranti for a general public, you may visit this link -
http://vnktchari.blogspot.in/2014/01/pongal-or-makar-sankranthi-festival-of.html#.Vn5ao7Z95kh


Preparation of Pongal

Pongal is made up of rice and moong dal. For one cup of rice, you may add a quarter of moong dal or even less. Cook it in a cooker just like cooking your daily rice. After it gets cooked, you will have to top it with the black pepper and cumin that are fried in ghee. Then, you will place it before God.

Worship at Dhanurmasam

Worship God with your regular prayers. The sanctum sanctorum should be kept clean and auspicious. You may decorate both the seat of God and God himself with flower garlands and flowers. You may also worship with loose flowers while chanting hymns. Read the 30 hymns (or pasurams) composed by Andal known as Thiruppavai with devotion if you can afford lengthy time at worship.

Generally, most devotees recite one pasuram or hymn each day (related to that day) and then offer agarbatti sticks' incense and then show the oil lights to God. So, on the first day, you will recite the first hymn, the second day the second one and like that.

Thereafter, offer the Pongal to God.

After doing this, you will light the Kapur or camphor and show it to God reciting the mangalasasanam.

You will have to recite the 29th and 30th hymn while waving a hand fan to God with a towel or any artificial leaves to provide cool air while taking rest.

Then, you will take the offerings of prasadam to eat yourself and to distribute to others.

This is the way of doing it all the 30 days.

On some special days during this month, some extra dishes are also prepared like Sweet Pongal, curd rice, tamarind rice, etc along with the normal daily Pongal.

You will find the days mentioned in the Tiruppavai book mostly. Generally, the special auspicious days are considered to be day 1, 3, 9, 16, 24, 27, 28, 29 and 30.

Pongal | Makar Sankranthi - A Festival of Hindu Culture and Traditions

Makar Sankranti is one of the most important festivals of Hindus celebrated all over India. It marks the beginning of Uttarayana or traveling of Sun towards the north.

Sun enters in the Makar Rashi on this auspicious day.  So, it is named as Makar Sankranti.

"Makar" means the zodiac sign of Capricorn and "Sankranthi" means the act of entrance.

Uttarayana is considered as a very auspicious period by the Hindus. This first day of Uttarayana is celebrated as Makar Sankranti. This festival falls on 14th January of each year as it is based on the solar calendar.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated traditionally by taking dips in holy Ganges water or other rivers and offering prayers to Sun and Shiva or Vishnu.

It is a belief that all sins get washed out by taking a bath in the holy rivers on this auspicious day and our soul directly reaches heaven after death.

On this festive occasion, people wear new clothes, cook Khichdi or Pongal with new rice adding some green gram dal or black gram dal. Some North Indians mix vegetables also in it.

They offer it to God and then consume it. All temples will be overcrowded this day with devotees offering special pujas.

Pongal Festival in Southern India

In Southern India, this festival is celebrated mainly for full four days as Bhogi, Thai Pongal or Sankranthi, Mattu Pongal or Kanuma, and Mukkanuma or kanum Pongal.


Bhogi and Bhogipallu Festival

The first day is celebrated as Bhogi. On this day people wake up early in the morning and take oil bath. They lit a fire in front of their houses dropping all waste clothes and other waste materials into it. It is a kind of shredding the old and beginning a new life. It makes the surroundings also neat and clean. Homes are washed neat and clean and door entrances are decorated by applying turmeric and kumkum at the bottom side of door frames. Rangolis (kolam or muggu) are drawn with colorful rice powder and lime mixed powders or chalk pieces or paints. Competitions also take place between neighbors in drawing the most beautiful attractive designs of rangoli.

In the center and corners of Rangoli, they place big pumpkin flowers over cow dung balls and dance around the rangoli singing Sankranthi songs. 

Houses with children celebrate this day by showering a mixture of Bhogi pallu or gooseberries(local berries), flowers, coins, rice, etc. on children's head to protect them from evil eyes or sights.

The whole scene looks very beautiful. These decorations of rangoli are done on all four days.


Sankranthi (Big Festival) or Thai Pongal

The second day is celebrated as Sankranthi big festival also known as Thai Pongal or Pongal. The Pongal dish is prepared on this day and offered to God. The temples are thronged by devotees. This is actually regarded as a harvest festival. Harvesting is over by this time and all homes are full of new grains. The Pongal is prepared with these new rice. The daughters and sons-in-law come home and get treated with love and affection and receive gifts from parents and brothers.



Mattu Pongal or Kanuma

The third day is celebrated as Kanuma or Mattu Pongal. Mattu Pongal is a Tamil word. 

This day is for worshipping the cattle. Cattle are of major help in agriculture. So as a thanksgiving, they are especially worshipped on this day by bathing them and decorating with love and respect. It is considered on Kanuma day by some traditions, especially in Andhra, that eating something prepared of black gram dal is a must on this day. Generally, people prepare vada (or 'Garelu' in Telugu) and eat them after offering to God. It is also thought by some that one who does not bathe on this day and does not eat vada will take birth as a crow in his next birth.


Mukkanuma or Kanum Pongal

The last day is Mukkanuma. On this day people enjoy picnics or eating special dishes in homes along with relatives or friends.

A sambar type preparation that is known as 'kolambu' in Tamil and 'pulusu' in Telugu languages is prepared which contains season's fresh vegetables and a bit of jaggery also besides toor dal and tamarind.

Due to this dish, this day is known as Mukkanuma.

Mukka means a piece of vegetable in the Telugu language. Some say mukka is a bit of Vada which is bitten on this day that has been prepared the previous day and so the name Mukkanuma.


On the whole, Sankranthi is a festival of mainly four days for most Hindus celebrated to mark the completion of harvesting season and thereby thanksgiving to God and cattle. Sons-in-law have their prominence during this festivity.


Vaishnava Sampradayam: Dhanurmasam

But, for the Vaishnava sampradaya people.this festival of Sankranthi is for one full month. They celebrate this occasion as Dhanurmasa.

Dhanurmasa is the period starting from the day of Sun entering the constellation of Dhanur Rasi or Sagittarius and ending on the day when Sun enters the constellation of Makar Rashi or Capricorn.

This is the period from 16th December to 14th January on most occasions.

During this one month, they wake up early mornings and after bathing, prepare the Pongal which is the dish of rice and green gram dal. After cooking, it is flavored with Ghee, black pepper, jeera(cumin), cashew nuts, etc. by burning slightly in Ghee on a light flame and mixing in the Pongal.

Puja is done to Vishnu Bhagwan by rendering Thiruppavai stanzas or 'pasurams'.

Thiruppavai is the creation of Goda Devi also known as 'Andal', 'Nachiyar' or "Chudi Kodutha Nachiyar".

She is one of the 12 Alwars or saints of Vaishnava sampradayam who lived at the start of Kaliyuga. She is the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi coming to earth to preach people how to attain happiness and supreme bliss through true worship and devotion. She worshipped Lord Vishnu in the shape of Ranganathaswamy and Sri Krishna. She used to offer flower garlands to God after testing them by wearing and looking into the mirror to ascertain that they are good. She rendered 30 pasurams or stanzas by reciting one on each day for thirty days during this dhanurmasam. In the end, she pleased Lord and married Him.

So, Vaishnava followers in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, celebrate this Dhanurmasam very traditionally. Pongal is prepared by wearing sacred clothes(washed and dried separately without touching them) or silken clothes. The dish also is prepared without touching other things. Pooja is performed and this Pongal is offered to God with true love and devotion. Then it is taken as prasadam. There are some special days during this month on which days sweet Pongal is prepared (with rice, green gram dal, and jaggery) in place of hot Pongal including the last day of Sankranthi. In the sweet Pongal, kismis(raisin) and elaichi(cardamom) are added in place of black pepper and cumin as topper mixing.


Many social events also take place on these days like kite flying, cockfights, bullock cart races, and bullfights or Jallikattu.

People bet on these events and earn money even though such gamblings are prohibited at many places. Cultural programmes and music concerts are also held at temples and public places and people enjoy the season very much in a holiday mood.