Aadi Pooram Festival celebrations in Srivilliputhur Andal Temple..
Aadi Pooram is the celebration of the birth day of Andal and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour in the places all over the world with Tamil population. In the year 2026, Aadi Pooram was celebrated on August 14.
Andal is the female Alvar, and also a great poet and a saint, who dedicated her entire life towards the worship of Lord Vishnu. She is believed to be born during 7th century AD at Srivilliputhur.
Andal was one of the famous Poet and saint in Tamil Nadu. She is considered to be the incarnation of Bhoomi Devi (Mother Earth). During Margazhi month, discourses on Thiruppavai will take place. The Srivilliputhur Temple is dedicated to Andal. In most of the Vishnu temples, a separate shrine for Andal will be there. Andal is known for her sincere devotion to Lord Vishnu.
Every year during Aadi month, “AADI POORAM” festival, also known as “ANDAL JAYANTHI”, is celebrated in the Andal Temple in a grand manner at Srivilliputur,Tamil nadu. Lot of devotees will gather at the temple, and will make their joyful worship. Apart from this festival, there are a number of festivals dedicated to Andal, which falls during the month of Margazhi..
The day of Aadi Pooram is also observed as the day of Goddess Shakti as it is believed that the Goddess herself comes to Earth in this auspicious day, to bless Her devotees. The devotees therefore worship their deity with full dedication to lead a happy and prosperous life.
The story of Goddess Andal is known all through the state of Tamil Nadu and her devotion to Sri Ranganatha (a form of Lord Vishnu) is widespread in the whole of southern India. The celebrations of Aadi Pooram are very splendid in almost all the Lord Vishnu temples located in Tamil Nadu. The day also holds immense significance in Goddess Shakti temples scattered all over the country. In the Saiva temples, the day of Aadi Pooram is observed as the festival of ‘Valaikappu’. In the event, glass bangles are offered to Goddess Andal and then distributed among all devotees. It is believed that by wearing these bangles, the couples will be blessed with offspring and also when pregnant women wear these bangles; it shields their child from all the evil forces.
Aadi Pooram is a 10-day festival observed with great pomp and show in all Lord Vishnu temples in the state of Tamil Nadu. Of these, the last day (10th day) is observed as ‘Aadi Pooram’ and a grand marriage ceremony of Goddess Andal and Sri Ranganathaswamy is conducted. This event is also known as ‘Thirukalyanam’.
On the day of Aadi Pooram, the women of the household get up early and start making the preparations. They decorate their house beautifully with kolam. Goddess Andal is fond of lotus flower, red color and kalkandu rice. The women of the household make an elaborate meal for offering to the Goddess.
In the temples, Goddess Andal is adorned with silk saree, glittering jewelleries and garlands. An elaborate feast is offered to the Goddess that is contributed by every household in the community. As the festival of Aadi Pooram celebrated the marriage of God and Goddess, thousands of devotees visit the temples to witness this ceremony.
Special rituals are performed on this day that is accompanied by playing the traditional music. The celebrations continue till late at night and then after the ‘aarti’ the food is distributed among the devotees.
On this auspicious day, the devotees also read the ‘Thiruppavai’ and ‘Lalitha Sahasranamam’.
The celebration of Aadi Pooram is very elaborate in the Goddess Andal temple at ‘Srivalliputtur’, which is the birth place of Aandal located in Tamil Nadu. The 12-day festival here marks the birth star of Goddess Andal. This festival is also observed as a big event at ‘Srirangam Sri Ranganath Temple’ for a period of ten days. On the last day, the marriage ceremony of Lord Ranganatha and Andal is held with great pomp and show. It is a popular belief that unmarried girls who worship Goddess Andal on the last day will very soon get married. Moreover, when the festival of Aadi Pooram falls on a Friday, as per the belief, it becomes more auspicious and the celebrations become more elaborate with countless rituals.
The Aadi Pooram Festival at the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple is one of the most spectacular, spiritually charged, and culturally rich celebrations in Tamil Nadu. Srivilliputhur is the birthplace of Goddess Andal (an incarnation of Bhudevi/Mother Earth and one of the 12 supreme Alwar saints). Therefore, Aadi Pooram—which marks her birth star (Pooram Nakshatra) in the Tamil month of Aadi—is celebrated here with unparalleled grander as a 10-day Brahmotsavam.
Here is everything you need to know about this grand festival:
The 10-Day Brahmotsavam Breakdown
The festival is not just a single-day event; it is a grand multi-day celebration where the entire town comes alive with decorations, lights, and devotional music.
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Day 1 (Kodiyettam): The festival officially begins with the traditional hoisting of the sacred flag (Dhvajarohanam) on the temple’s golden flag staff.
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Days 2 to 8 (Vahana Purappadu): Every morning and evening, the beautifully adorned idols of Goddess Andal and Lord Rangamannar (Vishnu) are taken out in grand processions through the four Mada streets surrounding the temple. They ride on different grand, traditional vehicles (Vahanams) each day, such as the Garuda Vahanam, Sesha Vahanam (the serpent), Kamadhenu Vahanam, and the Yanai Vahanam (Elephant).
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Day 5 (Five Garudas): A highly significant day where deities from nearby temples join Lord Rangamannar, and all of them are mounted on Garuda simultaneously, creating a magnificent sight for devotees.
The Grand Chariot Festival (Therottam)
The absolute climax of the festival occurs on the 9th day, which is the actual day of Aadi Pooram. This day is world-renowned for the Srivilliputhur Therottam (Car Festival).
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The Massive Chariot: The wooden chariot of the Srivilliputhur temple is one of the largest, heaviest, and most beautifully carved temple cars in Tamil Nadu.
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The Procession: Goddess Andal and Lord Rangamannar are seated inside the decorated chariot. Thousands of devotees from all over India gather to pull the massive ropes of the chariot, chanting “Govinda! Gopala!” and “Andal Thiruvaadige Sharanam!” * High-Energy Atmosphere: The entire procession moves to the thunderous rhythms of traditional percussion. The energetic atmosphere is a beautiful blend of deep, emotional devotion and high-octane cultural celebration.
The Divine Wedding (Thirukalyanam)
On the 10th day, the festival concludes beautifully with the Thirukalyanam (Divine Wedding Ceremony). This ritual celebrates the ultimate spiritual union of Goddess Andal merging with her beloved Lord Ranganatha/Rangamannar, symbolizing the soul’s union with the divine.
Key Rituals and Offerings
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The Garland Exchange: Following the ancient legend where Andal wore the garlands before offering them to the Lord, special, massive garlands made of fresh tulsi, roses, and exotic flowers are prepared. They are first adorned on Andal and then taken to the Lord.
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The Bangle Ceremony (Valaikaappu): On the day of Pooram, the Goddess is offered thousands of colorful glass bangles. These are later distributed to women as Prasadam, which is believed to bring marital harmony, health, and blessings for childbirth.
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Devotional Chanting: Throughout the ten days, the air in Srivilliputhur is filled with the continuous, melodious recitation of Andal’s own literary masterpieces—the Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Thirumozhi.
“OM SRI ANDAAL AMMANE NAMO NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R. HARISHANKAR