Aadi Perukku at Thanjavur Punnainallur Mariamman Temple… Aadi Perukku Festival, is a Tamil festival celebrated on the Tamil month of Adi. The festival pays tribute to water’s life-sustaining properties. For the blessing of mankind with peace, prosperity and happiness, nature worship in the form of Amman deities are organized to shower Nature’s bountiful grace on human beings. Aadi month is famous for worshipping Amman.
Aadi Perukku is a South Indian Hindu festival celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Adi (mid-July). The festival coincides with the annual refreshes of the rivers and to pay tribute to water’s life-sustaining properties. It is celebrated near river basins, water tanks, lakes and wells, etc. of Tamil Nadu when the water level in them rises significantly heralding the onset of Monsoon. Punnai Nallur Mariamman temple is a famous Amman temple located at the outskirts of Thanjavur. Mariamman is a form of Mata Parvati Devi, who relieves the diseases of the devotees, especially diseases like small pox, measles and from deadly virus fevers.
Initially, the Amman was worshipped in the form of white-ant hill. Later, the Great saint, Sri Sadhasiva Brahmendra swamy had converted the ant hill into Mariamman Temple and also installed a powerful Sri Chakra Yantra. This temple is located in Punnai Nallur, situated nearby Thanjavur old Bus stand. Lot of Bus facilities and autos are available from Thanjavur to Punnai Nallur.
The temple has long been a centre for local festivals and rituals, with the most prominent one being ‘Aadi Perukku’, a celebration that falls on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Aadi (July-August). This festival attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists, who seek blessings and witness the unique tradition of carrying the Goddess in a grand procession. This year (2024) Aadi Perukku festival falls on 3 August 2024.
“OM SRI PUNNAGAI MARIAMMA NAMO NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R. HARISHANKAR