Festival Season in other States

 

I was sent this wonderful image of how this Pongal Season is known in other States around the Country. 

 

Festival Greetings from many States

 

Pongal Festival 2022: Tiruvannamalai and Arunachaleswarar Temple

 

Uttarayana Brahmotsavam festival Flag Hoisting

The annual celebration of the Uttarayana Brahmotsavam festival took place on Wednesday, 5th January 2022 at Arunachaleswarar Temple with a flag hoisting ceremony.

This time known as Uttarayana marks the Sun's movement in the skies. The periods of Uttarayana and Dakshinayana are each comprised of six months. Uttarayana means the northern movement of the sun. The period starting from Capricorn Zodiac (Makara Rashi) up to Gemini Zodiac (Mithuna Raasi) is Uttarayana. The period when Sun leaves Gemini Zodiac is known as Kataka Sankramana and this marks the end of the Uttarayana period. This happens annually on July 15th or 16th.

In terms of sadhana: Dakshinayana is for purification and Uttarayana is for enlightenment. The first half of Uttarayana (until the equinox in March) is particularly believed to be a period when a maximum amount of grace is available. This is a time of receptivity, grace and enlightenment and of the attainment of the ultimate. It is the time to harvest and is the reason agricultural harvests begin during this period. 

 

 

 

An important part of the celebration of this change of the Sun's movement in the skies is the festival of Pongal which follows Uttarayana Brahmotsavam.

Pongal is not only a festival for crops and food grains but also an auspicious opportunity to harvest human potential.

Although originally Pongal was a Festival for the farming community—nowadays it is celebrated by all. It follows the solar calendar and each function occurs on the same day each year.

At Tiruvannamalai (and throughout Tamil Nadu) the four consecutive days of Pongal are:-
 

'Bhogi' January 13th
'Pongal' January 14th
'Mattupongal' January 15th, and
'Thiruvalluvar Day' on Jan 16
 

The below photographs taken on Mattupongal January 15, are of the lavishly decorated Lord Nandi at Arunachaleswarar Temple.

 

 

For full information about the day of Mattupongal, visit an earlier posting at this link here.

JOYFUL PONGAL 2022

 

Best Wishes for a Joyful Pongal 2022

 

 

 

Arunachala Blessings 2022

 

With thoughts of Love and Grace for a Blessed 2022

"In the Dravidian region of South India, there is the greatest place called Arunachala, dearest to Chandrasekara. It is the abode of Shiva and yogis. Arunachala is to this world what the heart is to the whole body. It is everything for Shiva. For the benefit of the world, Shiva took the form of a mountain and settled himself as Arunachala. 

 

There is no sacred place like Arunachala, there is no better discipline than devotion. There is no better protection than that afforded by vibhuti. There is no happiness superior to detachment. There is no position superior to salvation. If other kshetras are abodes of Shiva, Arunachala is the absolute form of Shiva himself." 

[Skanda Purana]

Arunachaleswarar Temple Pradosham: Friday December 31, 2021

The photographs below are of the last Pradosham of 2021. This Shukra Pradosham occurred on  Friday, December 31 and its particularly cheering to see the pradosham attended by so many devotees.