Panguni Uthiram

Panguni Uthiram is one of the significant festivals of South India. Several Divine marriages of Gods are said to have taken place on the day of Panguni Uthiram. Notably, the Puranas talk about the marriages of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, Lord Muruga and Devayani, Andal and Lord Ranganathar, and Lord Rama and Sita took place on this holy day. There are also other significances on this day including the incarnation of Lord Ayyappa and the incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi. The day defines the glory of Grihastha dharma (married life).

Panguni Uthiram is observed in Tamil month Panguni (March – April) when Uthiram nakshatra prevails.

Legend

According to Kandapuranam, there is a legend Manmadha Dhakanam. Manmadhan, the Lord of Kama disturbed the penance of Lord Shiva, so He destroyed the Lord of Kama into ashes. Rathi the wife of Kama Deva offered her prayers and requested to bear the sins of her husband. Lord Shiva became merciful and reincarnated Manmadhan.

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 Tirupathi). These festivals and celebrations existed as early as that of the Emperor Rajaraja Chola according to the inscriptions. Gods are given bath in this tank on this day as well as people take a holy dip in this tank with the belief that all their sins will be washed away.

Significance of Panguni Uthiram

On the day of Panguni Uthiram, thousands of devotees visit the six famed temples of Lord Muruga in Tamilnadu called as Arupadai Veedu. The festival is celebrated over a ten day period in most of the Murugan Temples. People flock the temple to witness car festival at Palani (a town in South Tamil Nadu). People observe a typical foot pilgrimage (pada yatra) to the temples of Lord Muruga. Some people vow to offer ‘Kavadi’ to Lord Muruga. Women offer cool beverages like buttermilk and food to devotees.

In most temples the priests take the idols to the marriage ‘mandapam’ of the temple and perform the marriage of the presiding God and Goddess. The legend of Kama Deva also emphasizes the protection of marital life from separation. Offering prayers to God will grace the couple with affection and good understanding. Whether married or looking for a life partner, you can seek the help of the Divine couples to have a harmonious married life. By being present in their wedding ceremonies and tuning into the Divine mood, you can connect with the higher consciousness and acquire better intelligence to understand your life. Prayer to the Divine couples at this time is important for bringing good vibrations into relationships. This divine force drives away all the sufferings and anxiety in married life. The divine force of Panguni Uthiram can blow away the misunderstandings and troubles in a marriage which paves way for a happy married life.