Aadi Masam 2020 Date & Significance: Aadi Pirappu History, Aadi Pandigai Recipes and Celebrations of the Monsoon Festival of Tamil Nadu

Aadi is the monsoon month that is filled with festivities for Tamilians across the world. The month of Aadi holds immense significance for Hindu Tamilians who perform various poojas to the Sun Gods and Goddess Shakti (Amman), celebrate the monsoon festival of Aadi Perukku and follow different other traditions that have been passed down generations. The fourth month in the Tamil Calendar, Aadi Masam (month) usually begins in mid-July. After the Tamil New Year and Pongal, Aadi celebrations hold the most significance for Tamilians. Aadi 2020 started from July 16, which will be celebrated as Aadi Pandigai. The month is filled with several other essential celebrations like Aadi Pooram, Aadi Perukku, etc. and here is everything you need to know about Aadi Masam, its significance in Tamil Culture and Aadi celebrations.

When is Aadi 2020?

As mentioned above, Aadi is a month-long celebration that begins mid-July. While it is most well-known for a hoard of Aadi shopping festivals and sales that brands and shops put together, it is much more than that. Aadi Masam will begin on July 16, with key festivities that last throughout the month. While the entire month of Aadi is filled with various traditions and rituals, the first day of this day, called Aadi Pandigai is filled with grand festivities.

What is Aadi Pandigai?

Aadi Pandigai or Aadi Pirappu is the first day of the month of Aadi. On this day, Tamilians make various traditional delicacies like Coconut Milk Payasam, Vadai, Avail, among others. This day signifies new beginnings and people often decorate their doorways with torans, people also draw intricate South Indian Kolams or Rangolis at the entrance and make their house welcoming. Since this month is said to be the month of devas/gods, people prepare their homes to welcome the deities and seek their blessings.

Aadi Festival Celebrations

Aadi celebrations traditionally involve the making of special sweets and delicacies every Friday, which is offered to Goddess Amman (Devi). The sweet offering is said to please Mahashakti and seek her blessings for all year round. In addition to this, there are special poojas that are also carried on. Traditionally, this month is focused on praying to the almighty, and other social events like marriages were avoided in the month. Additionally, many married couples often practise abstinence in this month.

Aadi Masam brings out various festivities in different parts of Tamil Nadu and continues to echo across the world by Tamilians who have been passing down this wisdom and tradition. The month signifies the time when the sun changes its direction, bidding adieu to the summers and finally setting into the winter chills. Because of this, the Sun Gods are all revered throughout the month. There are special observances like Aadi Pooram (the tenth day of Aadi), where Goddess Andal is revered, and various temples across the state observe special processions and aartis. Similarly, Aadi Perukku is another festivity in this month, observed on the eighteenth day of the month pays tribute to water's life-sustaining properties.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 17, 2020 10:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).