Threads, Parades, the Avittam of Aavani
Isn’t Aavani a Tamil month?
Isn’t Avittam a birth star / nakshatram?
Therefore it follows that Aavani Avittam means the day of the star Avittam in the month of Aavani. Right? Apparently the answer to this question involves calculations other than simple word deductions. Because folks this Avittam of Aavani, sources say, is tomorrow, which is still Aadi. I cannot understand how!
Anyway, for the Brahmin community, this is the day when the sacred thread is changed coupled with renewal of vows. Chennai Online’s article indicates that Aavani Avittam falls on Aug 14 – 15.
But those sources I mentioned, insist that the festival is tomorrow. I guess there is only one way to know – to look for certain people on certain vehicles on South Madras roads tomorrow morning!
Tomorrow is Rig/Yajur veda upakarma :) Saama Vedha upakarma is on 27th of august (The day of piLLayar chaturthi)
actually good point, i don’t know how this one falls in aadi, but whatever i’m changing the thread tomm… it doesn’t really matter to me..
i used to find this a bore when i was a kid. my dad and i used to do it together. i think it was for my forefathers. i am glad i dont have to do it anymore. :)
The Avani Avittam falls on the Full Moon day (Poornima) of Sravana masam. Since the lunar calendar and the tamil solar calendar are not in sync (as expected), every 3 years, the avani avittam occurs in aadi. The correct terminology is “upakarma”. Just like a “Poonal” wearing person is supposed to do sandhyavandanam everyday (daily karma), the upakarma is an annual karma (a general offering to ancestors and rishis). The next day is gayathri japam, again, an annual karma day for recitation of gayathri japam
Avani Avitam falls on the day when Pournami and Avittam Natchathram (Fullmoonday and Avittam Star) both comes on the same day, whether in Aadi or AAvani,the Tamil month.It is generally known as Aavani Avittam but literarily called as UPAKARMA.Day by day it looses its charm and religious rites to be done are not properly followed as per norms. Even in Sixties and Seventies the day was celebrated with gay and gaity with sweets and heavy luch, as Pongal or Tamil New Years day. Even Government holidays were declared for this on those days. After the Dravadian rules come it looses its importance and it is not followed even by the Brahmins now a days properly. In fact the next day to Avani Avittam is known as Gayathri Japam and on that day paricularly bachelors have to do homam with 1008 Gayathri Japam, and to correctly follow the counting 1008 Nos.of “SAMITHTHU” (dried thin sticks of Arasa Maram) are used.Though the Saama Vedha people are doing their UPAKARMA during Vinayak Chathurthi, they have also to do the Gayathir Japam on the next day to the Avani Avittam itslef in the month of AADI or AAVANI.
The UPAKARMA is to be followed by brahmins and by theri wards, to whom the upanayanam(threading)function is celebrated. Since the present day youngsters are like NANDHU SUNDARAM and doing the religious rites as a boring one , I am not for imposing these practices on both of my sons and I have not celebrated the Upnayanam Function for them though they have already passsed this stage and getting married soon.
I hereby express my sincere thanks to Mr.FERRARI, for giving the correct dates of UPAKARMA and reminding me to follow the religious rites on the right day.
I hereby express my sincere thanks to Mr.FERRARI, for giving the correct dates of UPAKARMA and reminding me to follow the religious rites on the right day.
Some non brahmins also wear poonal. Some subsects of Chettiars and those from Viswakarma community wear the thread. In certain Chettiar subsects, prior to the wedding the Upanayanam takes place
But most of the Brahmins are nowdays not wearing Poonool and loosing belief in all these rituals rites.This is good or bad I don’t know.
Did you notice – Gokulashtami falls on a day that’s neither ashtami (thithi), nor Rohini (nakshathram) nor Avani (month of birth of Lord Krishna).