‘ Thai Amavasya ‘  -  P.Natarajan.

‘ Thai Amavasya ’ falls this year on Thai 14 which corresponds to Jan 27, 2017 and the day is a Friday. Friday is considered auspicious for Devi Upasana and ‘Thai Vellikizhamai’, more so.

It was on a Thai Amavasya day, King Sarabhoji of Thanjai visited Abirami Amman Temple in Thirukkadaiyur where Subramaniya Pattar was immersed in worshipping the Goddess. The King wanted to know if Pattar was in sound health as a section of the people had complained that he was insane. Sarabhoji asked Pattar what was the ‘thithi’ that day. Pattar was looking at the face of Abirami Amman and it appeared to him shining brightly as the full moon in the sky. It made him to say without any iota of doubt that the thithi was ‘Pournami’. King Sarabhoji concluded that Pattar was insane as the thithi that day was amavasya only. He told angrily when Pattar finished the worship that in the event of full moon not appearing that night, Pattar would be sentenced to death.

Subramanya Pattar appealed to Goddess Abirami to save him and he began to perform homam singing Abirami Andhadhi songs. As he started the 79th Andhadhi which begins “Vizhikku Arul Undu “ (Tamil), Abirami Amman threw her ‘Thadanga’ (an ear ornament) into the sky which looked like the shining full moon in the sky. ‘Vizhikku Arul Undu’ - this expression in Tamil authenticates that Amman’s eyes are full of grace.

(Full Moon appearing on Amavasya night -

• ‘ Abirami Amman Vizhikku Arul Undu ‘)

She protects her devotees in no small measure. That is why Abirami Andhadhi songs are sung today in groups with undeterred faith and great devotion.

The King was taken aback and wondered how full moon appearing on an Amavasya night in the sky. He rushed to meet Subramanya Pattar and begged his pardon. He also crowned him with the title ‘Abirami Pattar’ owing to his deep devotion to the Goddess Abirami.

Amavasya tithi is considered as sacred as no planet gets shadowed that day. In other days there are ample chances for its occurrence. It is also a day for offering ‘thila tharpanam’ to the ancestors and to seek their blessings. Thai amavasai, Aadi amavasai and Purattasi amavasya are considered important for performing tharpanam to ancestors. Dakshinayana is considered as the night time for Devas and ancestors descend to Earth from Pithru Loka to protect us during this time. Dakshinayana begins  from the first day of Aadi month till the last day of Dhanur masa. In order to welcome the forefathers, we perform tharpanam by way of worship.. During mahalaya amavasya period in Purattasi month, the ancestors come together to earth. They return to ‘Pithru loka in the month of ‘thai’. Hence tharpanam during Thai amavasai is equally important to get the blessings of our forefathers as they depart from Earth to their home.

The curse of ancestors is known as ‘Pitru Dosham’ and affects adversely the children. To alienate the imbalance, offering tarpanam besides annual ‘srardha’ to ancestors is sacred and beneficial for the welfare of the family. Bath in Agni theertham in places like Rameswaram is considered to ward off Pitru Dosha.

There are quite a number of places where offering worship to ancestors are considered sacred when Thai Amavasya occurs. They are:- Rameswaram, Thilatharpanapuri, Thiruvarur, Thiruvengadu, Karungulam, Bhavani Sangamam, to mention a few.

Rameswaram is a place of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Besides Sri Rama installed and worshipped a Shiva Linga here to get rid of brahma hatya dosha due to Ravana vadha. Thousands of devotees visit Rameswaram to get rid of pitra dosha by taking bath in Agnitheertham here.

Sri Rama visited Thilatharpanapuri situated at 20 k.m in Thiruvarur-Mayiladuthurai road and performed thila tharpanam to Dasaratha and Jatayu - hence the name Thilatharpanapuri. Sri Rama is seen seated north in this temple. No where else Rama is seen in this pose. The name of the presiding deity here is ‘Muktinath’.As Sun and Moon are housed nearby in this place , it is also known as ‘Nithya Amavasai Pilgrim Center’.

Thirupullani is situated near Rameswaram and Sethukarai here is well known as a place of worship for forefathers. People take bath in the sacred Ratnakara theertham during Thai amavasai and worship Rudra Padam planted beneath a banyan tree. They perform tharpanam at this spot to get the blessings of ancestors..

Bhavani sangamam near Erode, where the confluence of the three rivers Cauvery, Bhavani and Amrith  take place is considered sacred for offering worship to forefathers on Thai amavasya day. Sangameswarar is the presiding deity here and worship here leads to Mukthi.

Karungulam is situated at 18th K.m from Tirunelveli towards Thiruchendur. King Marthandeswaran built a shiva Temple on the banks of Thamirabarani in response to a dream he had when Lord Shiva ordered him to do so. Singanathan , another King who lived in the adjacent place was suffering from a chronic stomach ache for a long period. The King met a sage who found that he was suffering due to a curse occurred in his previous birth. The King as advised by the Sage took bath in thamirabarani river and worshipped Sri Kuchakl Nayaki sametha Marthandeswarar and got cured of the stomach ache. As the place is known for getting rid of sins of previous birth, it is considered ideal for performing pitru tharpanam on Thai amavasya and to get the blessings of our ancestors.

The article  would be of interest to know the significance of Thai amavasya and also brief history of the places where people prefer to perform worship for the forefathers.

The photocopy of the news item below endorses further the significance of the Thai Amavasya.

Over 1 lakh worship at Ramanathaswamy temple on Thai Amavasya

A large number of devotees offered ‘Tarpana’ (pooja to forefathers) at the Agnitheertham seashore here and also at Kanyakumari and Tiruchendur seashore after a bath in the sea.

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By PTI  |  Updated On : January 20, 2015 01:47 PM

Chennai :  

Over one lakh people from all over the country today visited Sri Ramanathaswamy temple here and offered worship at the temple after poojas to their forefathers on the auspicious Thai Amavasya day today.

A large number of devotees offered ‘Tarpana’ (pooja to forefathers) at the Agnitheertham seashore here and also at Kanyakumari and Tiruchendur seashore after a bath in the sea.

Amavasya (new moon day) in the Tamil months of Adi and Thai are considered auspicious to offer worship to the forefathers.

The temples were opened at 0400 hrs for the pooja. At Tiruchendur temple, ‘Udhayamarthandan abhishekam’ was held followed by Kala shanthi Pooja and theerthavari.

In Srirangam thousands of People gathered at the Cauvery river to offer Pitru Pooja.

Thousands of people also visited Kallazhagar temple and the famous meenakshi temple in Madurai to offer worship to the deity and also Pitru pooja.

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