Dhanurmasa, the coldest month of the year begins on December 16 and ends on January 14, 2011. Dhanurmasam or Dhanumasam is known as Margazhi month as per the Tamil calendar. Dhanurmasa which falls from mid December to mid January is considered as Shooonya Masam. Dhanurmasa is not an independent month in any Indian calendar except for the Malayalam calendar followed in Kerala – in this calendar the month during the period is known as Dhanu Masam. The start of the Dhanurmasam is marked by the entry of the Sun in the Dhanur Rashi (Sagittarius) called the Dhanuh Sankramana; hence the name Dhanurmasa for the period. The period is considered inauspicious in some regions. It is considered as inauspicious to do any good things other than Godly functions.
In South Indian states Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, vaishnavaite sect of people celebrate the Dhanurmasa month with worshipping Lord Vishnu and Andal (Godadevi or Neela devi). Thiruppavai, a divine text written by Andal, is recited by all devotees. The Tiruppavai, also spelt as Thiruppavai, is a collection of thirty paasurams or stanzas written and compiled by Andal. All the pasurams are written in Tamil praising Lord Tirumal or Vishnu or Perumal. Goda Devi Kalyanam is the major event celebrated during Dhanurmasam in Tirumala Tirupati.
Worship of Lord Vishnu during the morning hours in Dhanurmasa is considered highly auspicious. There is a belief that worshipping Lord Vishnu on a single day during Dhanurmasam is equal to worshipping him for thousands of years. Vishnu Sahasranama is chanted during the period. Other important mantras chanted are those dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Thiruppavai the most popular offering made to Lord Vishnu in the month is Rice added with Moong dal.
The `Suprabhatham,' which is synonymous with the temple of Lord Venkateswara all over the world, would be replaced during the Dhanurmasam with an equally sacred compendium of verses— `Tiruppavai' composed in Tamil by Goda Devi (Andal), celestial daughter of Periyalwar (Vishnu Chiththa). This has been the practice from time immemorial in the Venkateswara temple and in other Vishnu temples as well as a mark of reverence to Goda Devi.
Kayena vacha manasendriyairva
Buddhyatmana va prakrite swabhavath
Karoomi yadyad sakalam parasmai
Narayanayeti samarpayami
Whatever I do with my mind, body, speech or with other senses of my body,
Or with my intellect or with my innate natural tendencies
I offer everything to Narayana
A valuable link and informative one.Thank you
ReplyDelete