Aadiperrukku

Place and community

Aadiperukku is celebrated only in the Kaveri delta.

Month

This festival is called Aadiperukku since the river swells on the 18th day of the month of Adi.

Description

The people of Tamil Nadu celebrate monsoon through this festival. This festival is called the ‘Flood of the Eighteenth’ as the water of the Kaveri river rises on the 18th day of the month of Adi i.e. during July and August. This festival is also therefore known as Aadiperukku.

The river Kaveri holds a lot of significance to the people of Tamil Nadu especially those living near the delta. The primary occupation of most of the people living there is agriculture. As a result the river has a direct impact on the economy of the place.

Adi is the month for planting seeds and vegetation. The increased water levels along the Kaveri basin in Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli districts contribute significantly to the rice cultivation of the area.

People celebrate this occasion by offering chitrannam or rice cooked in different flavors, colors and ingredients to the river-goddess.

Aadiperukku is a festival of fertility and people of Tamil Nadu especially women offer prayers. They wear new clothes and perform abhishekham for Kaveri amman.

Some even buy jewelry. It is a day when people worship the river and light special lamps along the river side. This day also holds special significance for the newly weds as the bride is brought to her parents home and stays on for the month of Adi.

On Adi Pathinettu, the bride is reunited with her husband and sent back to her in-laws with gifts and new clothes.

Source: http://www.festivalsofindia.in/Aadiperuku/

Introduction

Indian Festivals, celebrated by varied cultures and through their special rituals, add to the colours of the Indian Heritage. Some festivals welcome the seasons of the year, the harvest, the rains, or the full moon. Others celebrate religious occasions, the birthdays of divine beings, saints, and gurus (revered teachers), or the advent of the New Year. A number of these festivals are common to most parts of India. However, they may be called by different names in various parts of the country or may be celebrated in a different fashion.

Many festivals celebrate the various harvests; commemorate great historical figures and events, while many express devotion to the deities of different religions.

Every celebration is centered around the rituals of prayer, seeking blessings, exchanging goodwill, decorating houses, wearing new clothes, music, dance and feasting.

In India every region and every religion has something to celebrate. The festivals reflect the vigour and life-style of its people. Vibrant colours, music and festivity make the country come alive throughout the year.

The emphasis laid on the different festivals differs in different parts of the country. For instance, Navaratri is celebrated with maximum fervour in West Bengal as compared to that in other parts of the country. Holi is celebrated with gusto in the north, and although it is also observed in the western and eastern parts of India, in the south it is almost unknown. There are also a few regional festivals like Pongal in Tamil Nadu; Onam in Kerala and the various other temple festivals devoted to the specific patron Gods and Goddesses of the temples, which are celebrated exclusively in those areas, which may be limited to one or a few villages. This galaxy of festivals that exist do contribute in inter-spicing Indian life with gaiety and colour as also in giving the country the distinction of having the maximum number of holidays.

The portal for Festivals of India, is the stage drafted to endow the browser with rituals, traditions, legends held behind different festivals, providing an interactive media to seek the suggestions, guidance and knowledge of our viewers. The portal has a month-wise listing of different festivals celebrated throughout India with great enthusiasm, from January to December schedule of all the festivals.

Pan India Internet Pvt. Ltd. has taken the initiative to provide as one interactive platform that could open the door to the vivid festivals of India, providing the detailed information regarding the rituals, traditions and legends of the festivals.

Source: http://www.festivalsofindia.in/introduction.aspx