Panguni Uthiram Festival : The Celestial Marriage Day by Muthusamy R Panguni Uthiram is an important festival of India.

The Hindu festival is celebrated as the Celestial Wedding of Gods with their consorts in all Hindu temples of South India. People celebrate this festival with traditional fervor and religious devotion in all parts of Tamil Nadu as well as in some parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Panguni Uthiram is an important festival of India. The Hindu festival is celebrated as the Celestial Wedding of Gods with their consorts in all Hindu temples of South India. People celebrate this festival with traditional fervor and religious devotion in all parts of Tamil Nadu as well as in some parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Calendar According to Tamil solar Calendar the festival usually falls on the Tamil Calendar month Panguni (March April) on a full moon day (Falgun Purnima) when the moon transits from Pooram (Purva Phalguni) to Uthiram (Uttara-phalguni). This year on March 19, 2011, Saturday happens to be the full moon day and the moon resides in the asterism Uthiram (Uttara-phalguni), the festival will be observed. This Falgun Purnima day is also coincides with Holi, the festival of colors. Celestial Marriage

Panguni Uthiram (Falgun Purnima) full moon day is observed and devoted for the Celestial Wedding of Lord Shiva and His consort Goddess Parvathi, Lord Muruga and His consort Goddess Devayani (Deivanai) and Lord Rangamannar (Lord Vishnu) and His consort Goddess Andal (Kothai) Nachiyar. Lord Ramas marriage with Goddess Sita also took place on this auspicious day. It is considered as the duty of the grahastha (married couple) to witness these very auspicious celestial weddings in temples. Legend According to Kandapuranam, there is a legend on Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was offended when Manmadhan or Kama Deva (Lord of Lust) disturbed His penance with his lustful flower arrows and destroyed Manmadhan into ashes. Rathi, the wife of Manmadhan prayed Lord Shiva and her sincere request influenced Lord Shiva and Kama Deva was reincarnated. It is learned from the holy Brahmanda Purana that on the day of Panguni Uthiram every holy water mixes with Thumburu teertha (sacred water tank in Tirumala Tirupati). We are learning from inscriptions about the existence of these festivals and celebrations as early as that of the Emperor Rajaraja Chola. Significance This legend also symbolizes the protection of marital life from separation. The offering prayers to the almighty will grace with good mental equilibrium to the couples and bestows strength to reignite love, affection and understanding. Married women offer worship at Hindu temples to get rid of the hurdles and for a happy married life.

The festival also falls during early summer season and the mercury will be on the rise and the summer is fast approaching. 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. Womenfolk will offer cool beverages like buttermilk or even food to devotees. At Mylapore (part of Chennai city), the ten day Panguni Festival will come to an end on this full moon day with the Thirukalyanam (celestial marriage). Ayyappa Jayanthi (the birth anniversary) of Lord Ayyappa will also be observed and celebrated in Ayyappa temples in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.