Uttarayana Brahmotsavam festival Flag Hoisting
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.
