E-Book

Panguni Uthiram

By
Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran

About the Author:

Mr T Sampath Kumaran is a freelance writer. He regularly contributes articles on
Management, Business, Ancient Temples, and Temple Architecture to many
leading Dailies and Magazines.
His articles are popular in The Young World section of THE HINDU His e-books
on nature, environment and different cultures of people around the world are
educative and of special interest to the young.
His e-books Guide to 108 Divya Desams, Guide to 275 Siva Sthalams, The Path
of Ramanuja, Madhwacharya, Guide to Kancheepuram and Hinduism in a nutshell
have been well received in the religious circle. He was associated in the renovation
and production of two Documentary films on Nava Tirupathi Temples, and
Tirukkurungudi Temple in Tamilnadu.

Acknowledgement:
I wish to express my gratitude to the authors from whose works I gathered the
details for this book, and to my wife Kamala Sampath in compiling the details.
Courtesy Google, for some of the photographs. Special thanks to www.scribd.com
for hosting my e-books.

Panguni Uthiram is a big festival in Tamil Nadu. Several Temple rituals

like divine marriages, Brahmotsavams, Aradhanotsavams and other
festivities are celebrated on Panguni Uthiram day. Thousands of
devotees attend the Srirangam Sri Ranganatha swamy temple, Madurai
Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple, Palani Murugan temple, and some
other temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga.
Panguni Uthiram festival falls on the full moon day or Pournami, which
is celebrated during Panguni masam or Tamil month of Panguni (MarchApril), during Uthiram nakshatra day. The celestial wedding of Lord
Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, Lord Muruga - Devayanai and Aandaal Rangamannar is the major event during this festival, in Tamil Nadu.
Panguni Uthiram falls on the day, when the moon transits in the
nakshatra (constellation) of Uttara-phalguni (Uthiram), in the month
Panguni, which is the full moon of the month. Hindu Scriptures like the
Puranas and the epics Mahabharat and Ramayan indicate that the
auspicious day of Poornima and Uttiram star coinciding in the month of
Panguni is the day when most divine weddings had taken place.
This Phalgun Poornima day is also Holi in the Braj region, which
includes locations traditionally connected to Lord Krishna: Mathura,

Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana, Kumaoni (Uttarakhant). The day

that Holika the sister of Hiranyakashibu was destroyed. It is celebrated
as Basatotsav (Bengal), Phagwah (Bihar), Dol a jtra (Oriya), Ganga
Mela (UP), Dol Purnima (Bengal), igmo (Konkani), Rangapanchami
(MP), Yaosang (Manipur), Basnata Panchami (AP), Phakuwa (Assam),
Shimga (Maharashtra), Manjal Kuli (Kerala), Fagu Poornima (Nepal),
Panguni Uthram Vasanthotsavam (TN).

The playful throwing of natural coloured powders has a medicinal

significance: the colours are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum,
Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by yurvedic
doctors. A very auspicious day for all Hindus.
As per the Brahmanda Puranam, on Panguni Uthiram day holy water
from all the sacred rivers join the Thumburu teertha, one of the seven
sacred tanks in Tirumala Hills.

The day is the symbol of grahasta dharma i.e, the married life of a
person. The ancients chose Uthiram to convey to humans that it is for
underlining the glory of Grahasta Dharma that the Almighty manifests
in the marital state as Uma Maheshwara, Sita Rama, and Radha Krishna
- despite his changelessness, sans childhood or youth or old age.
Ordinary mortals celebrate their wedding again only when they turn 60
and 80. But the celestial wedding of Gods takes place every year.
The Lord is indeed a "Nitya Kalyana Murti". It is our duty to celebrate
this day when the Lord, in both Shiva and Vishnu temples, appears to
devotees in his married state.
The day is also of great importance at the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple in
Kerala.

As per the Valmiki Ramayana, this is the auspicious day when Shri
Rama and Sita got married. Panguni month is similar to that of Phalgun
month in other calendars. As an annual event all temples take their
utsava murthis to the kalyana mandapam of the temple and perform the
marriage of the presiding God and Goddess there.

Iyam Sita mama suta sahadharmacharee

Tava prateechchha chainam bhadram te
panim grihneeshwa panina pativrata
mahabhaga chhayevanugata sada.
These are the words spoken by King Janaka, on the day when Uttara
Phalguni star intersects with the full-moon day, as he offers his daughter
Seetha in marriage to Rama. These words are uttered in every marriage
that happens in the northern parts of India.
The translation of this sloka is:
"This is Seetha, my daughter. She will follow you in the path of dharma.
Take her hand in your hand. She is both blessed and devoted and she
will forever walk with you like your own shadow
On this day, Goddess Mahalakshmi incarnated on earth from the ocean
of milk (after the ocean was churned by the Gods and the demons) and
hence it is celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanti. It is on this day that
Goddess Parvati in the form of Gowri married Lord Siva in
Kanchipuram, Gowri Kalyanam day. Andal as Ranganayaki married
Ranganathar at Srirangam, Panguni Uthiram Tirukalyanam.

The "Panguni Uthiram" is celeberated in a big way as Siva Vazhipaadu

in many Siva Temples in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere.

Its on history of Madurai

temples, that the king of Madurai Malayadwaja Pandya was childless
for long. To win the favour of the gods in order to ensure an heir to the
throne, he conducted a sacrificial Homam, and a three-year-old girl
emerged from the fire, ran to Queen Kanchanamala and sat on her lap.
The king and queen were happy, and gave their daughter in marriage to
Lord Siva. After their marriage, Shiva and Parvathi ruled over Madurai
for a while and later settled in the Madurai temple as Meenakshi and
Sundareswarar.

The mythical legend attached to the "Panguni Uthiram" is given

by Katchiappa Sivaachariyar (early ninth century) of Kanchipuram in
his Kantha Puranam (in Tamil) which mentions that God Siva married
Goddess Parvathi (Sakthi) on the Panguni Uthiram day in Himalayas.
Hence this day became a very holy day to the Saivaites, and the vratham
held on this Panguni Uthiram day was also called as Kalyaanasunderar
Vratham.
The reference to same is as follows:
Eengu ithu kaalai thannil Imagiri purakkum mannan
paangu uru amararhalodum parivodum sendru Velli Oangalin anthi
uyppa uyirkku uyiraana Annal puung kalal vanangi" nintru aangu
inaiyana pukalutran
Aathiyil ulakam ellam alithidum annai thannai
kaathalin vathuvai seiyya karuthinaikanitha noolor
othu Panguniyin thingal Uttaram intreyaakum
Ithu nan muhuuththam enthai Imayamel varuthi entraan

Al ural kanda enthai arasanai noakiyin pinne

ellaiyil kanangkal suula Imayam mel varuthu munnam
selluthi entralodum thiruvadi vanangi pottri
ellaiyin meendum poi than vala nagar irutkai pukkaan
Kanthapuraanam verses 34, 35 & 36
Further reference to the significance of this marriage is also given, that
the truth being evident that for the purpose of salvation of the World
God Siva was married to Parvathi which is indicated as follows:
Ulakam uyinththida em piraan manam puri unmai pulan athalum avan
arun muraiyinai pottri
maliyum vimitham pathimai perumitha mahilchchi palavum
munthida Kayilai yai muniniye padarvaar
Kanthapuraanam - verse 3
The earliest known reference to this Vazhipaadu is found in the Tamil
Thirumuraihal. The first reference is noted in a Thevara Pathikam,
of one of the four great Tamil Saiva Saints (Nayanmars).
Thirugnanasambanthar refers to the "Panguni Uttaram" Vazhipaadu
which was conducted in a big way at the Temple during his time.
The verse under reference is as follows:
Mali vilaa veethi madanallaar maaamyilai
kali vilaa kandaan Kapaaleechcharam amarththaan
pali vilaa paadal seiPanguni Utthiram naal
oli vilaa kaanaathe pothiyo poompaavai
2nd Thirumurai pathikam 47 verse 7
The second reference to Panguni Uthiram is seen in a Thevara Pathikam
refers to Naminanthi Adigal Nayanar being one of the sixty three Tamil

Saiva Saints who lit lamps at the temple with water on Pangunu Uthiram
day.
The verse under reference is as follows:
Aaraainthu adi thondar aanippon Aarur ahaththu adakki Paaruur pari
patththam Panguni Uththiram part paduththaan Aarur
narumalar Nathan adi thondan NambiNanthi Neeraal thiru vilakku
ittamai nee nadariyummantre
4th Thirumurai pathikam 102 verse 2
It states that in the village called Eamapperur near Thiruvarur there lived
a Saiva Sage by the name Naminanthi Adigal. He one day conducted
pooja to a Sivalinga near an anthill (puttru), and then moved to a temple
closeby known by the name Araneri.
Here he wished to prey to the deity at this temple by lighting as many
lamps as possible. But as the daytime was waning and with the coming
of the evening, he thought the night would fall by the time of his return
fetching ghee from long distance. So he went to the nearby house and
asked for ghee for this purpose. But it happened to be a Jains house who
refused same and insulted him, and in turn asked Naminatha Adigal to
light the lamp with water.
He felt very sad, and returned to the Araneri Sivan temple, and intensely
prayed placing himself in prostrate. Then a heard an asura vaakku saying
you leave your sadness and go to the nearby pond and collect water and
use it to light the lamps continuously.
Naminanthi Adigal accordingly went to the pond reciting the name of
Siva, brought water and lit all the lamps to the amazement of everyone.
This he continued for many days and the news spread far and wide from
Thiruvaaruur. The then ruling Chola king hearing of the Siva thondu
of Naminanthi Adigal gave donations to him to develop the anthill shrine

and appointed him as the chief to conduct regular religious rituals as per
Saiva agamas. Naminanthi Adigal then requested the king for assistance
as he wished to conduct festivals connected with the God Siva's
Thiruvilayadalhal (miracle) and also the Panguni Uthiram festival in a
grand way at the temple of Thiruvarur.
Likewise the Panguni Uthiram festival thereafter was conducted yearly
in an elaborate way at the Thiruvarur temple. Naminanthi Adigal too was
latter proclaimed as one of the sixty three Tamil Saiva Saints
(Nayanmars).
The verse under reference is as follows:
Ventri Vidaiyaar Mathi Sadaiyaar Veethi Vidanga Perumaal thaam
entrum Thiruvaarur aalum eyalpin muraimai thiruvilaiyatu ontrum
seyalumPanguni UthThiram anth thirunaal uyar sirappum nintru
vinnappam seitha padi seitharulum nilai petrar"
Periyapuraanam verse 20
In addition to the above there is a further reference to Panguni Uthiram
found in the Seikkeelars Periyapuraanam. He mentions
that Paravaiyar the wife of the Saint Sunderamoorthy Nayanaar while in
Thiruvarur, wished to participate in Panguni Uthiram day festival by
providing the Sivanadiyars all what they required to their hearts content,
and needed gold towards the expenses.
To meet the need of his wife Paravaiyaar, Saint Sunderamoorthy
Nayanaar went to the shrine at Thiruppuhalur and worshipped the
presiding God Siva for funds. Even after pleading by worship and not
getting the gold, and on feeling sleepy wished to sleep in the temple
frontage along with other pilgrims.
Collecting some burnt sand bricks which were kept outside for the

renovation of the temple, for head rest, placed his white silk cloth and
slept. When he later arose from sleep he was astonished to see that these
brick stones have turned into bricks of gold.
He praised the God Siva at Thiruppuhalur with the Thevarap pathikam
commencing as "Thammaiye pukalnththu" and thereafter with the gold
bricks he visited Thiruppanaiyur where God Siva gave vision in his
dancing form to Saint Sunderar. On seeing this vision Saint Suderar fell
prostrate and worshipped and sang the pathikam Arangaada valaar
avare alagiyare, and thereafter he with some pilgrims of
Thiruppanaiyur carrying the gold bricks returned to Thiruvarur. He sent
the gold bricks to his wife and went along with some Sivanadiyar
straight to Thiruvaarur temple.
The verse under reference is as follows:
Seri pun Sadaiyaar Thiruvarur Thiru Panguni Uththira thirunaal
kuruka varalum Paravaiyar kodaikku vilaavil kuraivarukka nirayum
pon kondanaivathatku ninainththu Nambi Thirupukaloor Iraivar
paatham paniya eluntharuli sendru angu eithinaar"
Periyapuraanam verse 46
We are learning these references from the inscriptions about the
existence of these festivals and celebrations as early as that of the
Emperor Rajaraja Chola.
The ten days "Panguni Uttaram Festival" is being celebrated at the
Kapaaleeswarer Temple, Chennai - TamilNadu, with the "Arupaththu
Moovar - Thiruvizha" celeberated with religious rituals and the Statues
of the - 63 - "Tamil Saiva Saints (Nayanmars).
Panguni Uthiram is also a holy day for Murugan worship and celebrated
in a big way in the Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu especially in
Palani and in the "Arupadai Veedu sthalangal.

Another legend indicates that Lord Muruga married Devasena on

Panguni Uthiram day. On Panguni Uthiram, in all places where Lord
Subramanya has a temple, including the Palani Murugan Temple his
devotees carry in a Kavadi the requisites of puja for him, in fulfilment of
vows. Such vow fulfilment by devotees carrying Kavadis is a special
feature of Subrahmanya temples wherever they happen to be.

The festival is celebrated over a ten day period in most of the Murugan

Temples. People will assemble in thousands to witness car festivals at

Palani (a town in South Tamil Nadu. Men will observe a typical foot
pilgrimage (pada yatra) to the temples of Lord Muruga and cover about
one hundred kilometers over three to four days and nights. Some people
vow to offer Kavadi to Lord Muruga. They will bear Kavadi (two
vessels connected and tied at the end of a long stick) on their shoulders
and walk across the distance.

The Panguni Utsavam is a unique festival in Arulala Perumal

(Varadarajaswami Temple) in Kanchipuram temple which lasts for seven
days and culminates on the Uthiram day with the marriage of Goddess
Malayala Nachiyar or Serakula Nachiyar to the Lord. The sacred
text Hastigiri Mahatmyam (the sthala-Purana of this temple) is read in
the 100 pillared mandapa in front of the deity.People throng in thousands
to witness this divine marriage. Malayala Nachiyar, daughter of king
of Cheran who had her love and devotion for Sri Varadhan in his Archa
murthi merged with the Lord in his sannidhi due to the divine blessing of
Perundevi Thayar.
An epigraph of 1582 A.D. of the reign of the Vijayanagara monarch
Sriranga Raya mentions an endowment for offerings to be made during
this festival which is specially called Serakula-Nachiyar Panguni
Uthiram Sathumurai. The images of Serakula Nachiyar and Senai
Mudaliyar (Vishvaksena) are taken in procession to a garden named
Dalavaya Toppu where offerings were made.

There is a mention about a

festival in Panguni which is equated to Uthira Vizha where Shakti Uma
Devi performed puja for the Lord in the form of Devi Kamakshi. At the
end, the wedding of Siva and Shakti took place here as prayed for by the
celestials. An inscription on a gopuram of the Kamakshi Amman temple
in Kanchipuram mentions a gift of two villages for Puja on the occasion
of the Panguni Utsavam.

Another important wedding that takes place on Panguni Uthiram is the

one between Andal and Sri Ranganathar (Lord Vishnu). This is known as
Panguni Uthira Thirukkalyanam and is an important event in
Srivilliputtur and neighboring areas.

Two historical events relating to Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam were reenacted during the first week of Panguni. The first one relates to the
home coming of Ranganatha at Uraiyur and the second one, a few days
later, relate to the divine couple of Srirangam providing the Serthisevai
(being together) on the occasion of Panguni Uthiram. It is the only day
in the year when we see the Goddess Ranganayaki with Srirangam Lord
Ranganatha on the same stage
Sri Mahalakshmi (Sri Ranganayaki Thayar)s birthday is celebrated on
this day. This event draws huge crowds of devotees who come to get the
Divine Mothers Loving Blessings and to witness an enthralling reenactment of the interaction between Lord Sri Ranganatha, Sri
Ranganayaki Thayar and Sri Nammazhar (as mediator).
It is also that day on which Bhagavad Ramanuja performed Saranagathi
to Sri Ranganayaki and Sri Ranganatha and composed the 3 gadyams
(poems) Saranagathi gadyam, SriRanga gadyam and SriVaikunta
gadyam for the benefit of the Lords devotees.
On the sixth day of Aadhi Brahmotsavam and the second day of
Panguni, Namperumal, the processional deity of Lord Ranganatha, goes

on his seven-hour trip across the River Cauvery to meet his beloved
Kamalavalli Nachiyar at Uraiyur.
Uraiyur was the first capital of the Chozhas and is also the birth place of
Thiruppaan Azhwar, who composed 10 famous verses on Lord
Ranganatha called Amalanaathipiraan in which he showered the
highest praise for the Lord of Srirangam.
Uraiyur relates to the celestial love story of young Kamalavalli and her
wedlock with Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam.
Legend has it that, pleased with the prayers of the Chola king Nanda
Chozhan, who was childless, Lord Ranganatha asks Goddess Lakshmi to
be born as the Kings daughter at Uraiyur and promises to marry her at
an appropriate time. Being born out of the Lotus, she is named
Kamalavalli. Time comes when the Chola King decides to get his
daughter married and he readily agrees when he realises that
Kamalavalli has fallen in love with Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam, the
one who had blessed him with progeny. Giving in to the kings prayers,
the Lord agrees to marry Kamalavalli Nachiyar.
Delighted, Nanda Chozhan builds the temple at Uraiyur to celebrate the
Home Coming of Lord Ranganatha. This event is enacted every year
during the Tamil month of Panguni when devotees can have darshan of
Namperumal with Kamalavalli Nachiyar at the Uraiyur temple.
A unique feature of the temple is that this is the only Divyadesam, where
the Goddess is facing the Northern direction, (in this case facing the
Ranganatha temple, Srirangam, which is North of Uraiyur).
Learning about the Lords trip to Uraiyur to meet Kamalvalli and
presenting His ring to the Nachiyar, Ranganayaki Thayar fumes with
anger. On the occasion of Panguni Uthiram (the fifth day of Panguni),
Namperumal decides to meet Ranganayaki Thayar at her sannidhi
located on the Northern side of the Srirangam temple. To convince

Ranganayaki, it is believed that, the Lord goes around the Chitra and
Uthira streets to meet the devotees and collect money to buy a new ring
for the Thayar.
After over three hours, Namperumal reaches the Thayar Sannidhi. As if
waiting for a chance, Ranganayaki shuts the door refusing Him entry
into the Sannidhi. The Lords repeated attempts to move into the
sannidhi fail. To top it all, He is even pelted with butter and fruits from
the other side, which is enacted by priests and Arayars, called Mattai adi
Utsavam.

A war of words ensues between the two with the Lord trying his best to
convince Thayar of his commitment to her. During the 90-minute debate,
which was one of the biggest highlights of Panguni Uthiram festival, the
Araiyars represented Namperumal as the mediator between the Lord
(waiting outside the entrance of the Thaayar Sannidhi) and Thayar.
Mattai Adi Utsavam is a special event at Srirangam, where the human
emotions are exhibited, and pilgrims throng to enjoy the Vaibhavam of
the Dhivya Dampathis. It is an uthsavam to highlight the kapada
Naatakam of the Lord and the legitimate anger of Sri RanganAyaki
After an intense debate, with Namperumal trying unsuccessfully to
convince Thayar, Nammazhwar, who had been closely watching the
drama, intervenes and advises the Goddess to accept the Lord once
again. Immediately, accepting this directive, Ranganayaki relents
Lord, I accept you as directed by Nammazhwar. Please come in.

This heated debate between the two and the way it ends, with Thayar
accepting the Lord again, showcases to the world the beautiful
relationship between a husband and a wife. It is made colorful thru the
enactment of the drama to indicate event he dhivya dampathis are not
above human emotions as a dampathi.
Following the debate, Namperumal enters the Thayar Sannidhi and the
divine couple give darshan to the devotees at the Serthi Mandapam, and
thousands of devotees throng the temple to worship Serthi darsanam.
Belief is that a visit to the Srirangam temple on this day for the Serthi
Seva will relieve one of all sins.
As per the tradition at the Srirangam temple, Chinna Perumal (Selvar),
who is seen alongside the Moolavar deity, is taken out on a procession to
the River Coloroon on the Panguni Uthiram night for Theerthavari.
After vedic recital and distribution of sacred water at the Coloroon,
Chinna Perumal joins Namperumal and Ranganayaki at the Serthi
Mandapam around midnight.
It was on Panguni Uthiram, at the Serthi Mandapam, around 900 years
ago Ramanuja composed three great works of prose called Gadhya
Thraya.
In the first verse called Saranagathi Gadhya, a delighted Ramanuja on
finding the divine couple together at the Serthi Mandapam approaches
Ranganayaki Thayar, sings in praise of Her and seeks Her blessings to
make Lord Ranganatha to accept his total surrender at his feet.
In the second composition called Ranga Gadhya, he sings in praise of
Lord Ranganatha and shares to the world the many virtues of the Lord.
In the third composition, called Vaikunta Gadhya, Ramanuja in a
glorious description brings to light the great things and the divine world
of Vaikunta.
In memory of his contributions, these three compositions of Ramanuja

are rendered in front of the Serthi Mandapam on the Panguni Uthiram

night, where Namperumal was adorned with 18 different alankarams.
At Srirangam utsavams take place throughout the year but Panguni
Uthsavam also known as Adhi Bramhotsavam occupies pride of place
mainly because of Perumal-Thayar Serthi on Panguni Utthiram day. It is
called Adhi because it was the utsavam which was celebrated first or
could we say it is because it the first among utsavams.

Brahma started it on the day Sriranga vimana emerged from the ocean
of milk in Satya lokam. Then the Ikswakus celebrated it when they
obtained the Sriranga Vimanam as their wealth. Sri Ramachandra who
took avatharam in this vamsam (clan) gifted this to His favourite devotee
Vibhishana.
Vibhishana who was carrying this Vimana stopped at Sesha Peetam (the
present island location of Srirangam between the holy rivers - Cauvery
and Kollidam) an island formed by two Caveris to perform the Panguni
Utsavam. Once the utsavam was over Vibhishana wanted to carry the
Vimanam to Lanka but cud not lift as Lord Ranganatha desired to live on
this island. The devotee had to agree and the Lord reclined facing His

bhakthas country.Thenceforth Seshapeetam became Srirangam.

There are many slokas composed about the goddess Mahalakshmi but
the "Sri Gunaratna Kosam," a Sanskrit Shloka composed by Parasara
Bhattar, is exclusive to Sri Ranganayaki. However the traditional
Lakshmi Astothram is recited in the temple during rituals. Apart from
this, Sree Sthuthi composed by Vedanta Desika and Kanaka dhara
Sthothram given by Adi Shankaracharya are chanted by devotees of the
temple.