Srivilliputhur "Aadi Pooram Thiruvizha" (festival) begins on 14th July this year

Srivilliputhur Andal temple & ratha indianpanorama.in

A large number of devotees participated in the Aadi Pooram chariot festival of Srivilliputhur Temple in Virudhunagar district on Aug 01. The festival celebrates the birthday of Andal, the main deity of the temple.

Devotees on Monday thronged the streets of Srivilliputhur in Tamil Nadu to join the chariot festival of Aadi Pooram at Srivilliputhur temple in Virudhunagar district.

Andal temple main tower, srivilliputhur, TN,
karaikudiexpress.wordpress.com

Aadi Pooram also known as Andal J ayanti is an auspicious annual festival that falls in the month of July or early August.as per the English calendar and during the Tamil month of Aadi.

It is a popular festival in Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu which is believed to be the birthplace of the Goddess Andal - an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. The ten day festival is attended by lakhs of devotees from Tamil Nadu and other places. The rituals are also observed in many Vishnu temples in the state, foremost being Srirangam Ranganathar temple, Azhagar Kovil temple near Madurai and Parthasarathy temple, Triplicane, Chennai. The day is also observed as the day of Goddess Shakti and it is believed that on this day, the goddess herself comes to Earth to bless her devotees. The festival marks the star Pooram of the Tamil month Aadi, which is the birth star of the presiding deity, Andal. On the first day special pujas and deeparadhana are performed to the deities, Lord Rengamannar and Goddess Andal. An interesting tradition is after taking the flag around the temple on Mada Streets in a procession, the temple flag will be hoisted between 9 am. and 10 am on the Dwajasthambam. Yet another main event is Therottam - Chariot run on the 9th day and Andal chariot is one of the largest chariots in Tamil nadu. Idols will be taken round the Mada street on the decorated chariot.

interior sri Andal temple, Srivilliputhur, TN.cultureandheritage.org

The festival is also a major event at the Srirangam Sri Ranganathar Temple and it is believed Andal through her intense devotion and trust became his consort. She visited the Srirangam temple with her adopted father Periazhwar, entered the garbhagriha and finally merged with Emperuman to become his consort. All Vishnu temples have a shrine dedicated to Andal Thayyar.

On the 10th and final day of Aadi Pooram, celestial wedding with devotion is organised for Goddess Andal and Sri Ranganathaswamy in an event called ‘Thirukalyanam’ which marks the culmination of the festival.

On this day special poojas are held to Goddess Andal. In the case of Shakti temples, the images of Goddess are adorned with new bangles. The belief has been that wearing bangles taken from the holy feet of the deity is good for the progeny and protect pregnant women and others from evil spirits, black magic and spells..

Tit-Bits

Aadi Pooram of 2023:

Srivilliputhur Andal and her hair style. Photo Gallery - Divyadesams

This year Srivilliputhur Aadi Pooram Thiruvizha is scheduled to begin on the 14th (first day event) of July, 2023 this year with Kodiyetram (Dwajarohanam) - temple flag-hoisting between 9 to 10.30 am.

Certain important events will be as follows:

Five Garuda sevai (5th day) on 18 July, 2023 at 10 pm. Five sevais -Garuda Vahanam: Sri Rangamannar - Sri Periya perumal - Sri Srinivasa Perumal - Sri Sundararaja Perumal - Sri Thiruthangal Appan.

Sayana Sevai (7th day) on 20th july between 7 to 11 pm

Thiruvaadioora Theraottam: 22 July (9th day) 8 am Thruther vadampidithu ezhuthal.Special pushpongi seva for moolavar.

Thirthavaari 24th July (11th day)morning and in the evening

6 pm - Moolasthanam serthal.

Pushpa yagam 25th July (12th day) for Andal- Rangamannar Thiva thampathi.

The last two events mark the end of the main festival

Besides above events, other important ones include On Day 7 - Sri Andal Thiru Madiyil Sri Rangamannar Sayana Thirukolam.

On Day 8 - Srirangam Sriranganathar Thirukovil Parivattam, Madurai Kalazhagar Thirukovil Parivattam will be brought as Prasadam & both Parivattam Sri Andal Nachiyar Ukku Saatrapadum

https://skanda-news.blogspot.com/2022/07/srivilliputtur-thiruvadipuram-brahmotsavam-sri-andal-nachiar-thiruvadipooram peruvizha-therottam.html

http://www.navrangindia.in/2022/07/aadipooram-festival-2022-at-sri-andal.html

http://www.navrangindia.in/2018/08/sri-andal-jayanthi-aadi-poorum-temple.html