Panguni Uthiram

Panguni Uthiram (Tamil:பங்குனி உத்திரம்) (also known as Meena Uttara-phalguni in Sanskrit) is a day of importance to Tamil Hindus. It falls on the day the moon transits in the asterism or nakshatram of Uttara-phalguni or Uthiram in the twelfth month of the Tamil calendar i.e. Panguni. It is the Purnima or full moon of the month of Panguni (பங்குனி 14 March - 13 April). Panguni Uthiram is a famous festival and special to Murugan and Shiva devotees. This coincides with the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna / Chaitra.[1]

Significance

This month is special because the Uthiram nakshatram coincides with the full moon. This full moon signifies the marriage of Parvati and Parameswara (Lord Shiva), Murugan and Deivanai, and Aandaal (also known as Kothai) and Rangamannar. On Panguni Uthiram, Narayana marries Komalavalli Naachiyar and gave Kalyana Kola Seva to his Bhakthas. Again, Valmiki's Ramayana says it is on this day and star that Sita's marriage with Rama was celebrated. From Brahmanda Puranam we learn that on Panguni Uthiram, all holy water joins Thumburu teertha (also spelt as Tirtha), one of seven sacred tanks in Tirupati Tirumala.

The day is intended to underline the glory of grahasta dharma (or the married life of a householder). The almighty manifests in the marital state as Uma Maheswara, Sita Rama, and Radha Krishna – despite his changelessness, sans childhood or youth or old age - and is celebrated by devotees. On Panguni Uthiram, in all the places where Lord Subrahmanya has a temple, the devotees carry a kavadi for the fulfillment of vows.

Devotees flock in hundreds to all the Murugan temples for the Panguni Uthiram festival, which is celebrated in March every year.[2] It is the Jayanti (day of incarnation) of Lord Ayyappan. 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 also celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanti. On this day, Goddess Parvati in the form of Gowri married Lord Shiva in Kanchipuram and hence, this day is also celebrated as the Gowri Kalyanam day.

The day of Panguni Uthiram is of special significance to the worship of earth element, Prithvi lingam of Ekambareswarar Temple, where festivities last for 13 days.[3]

References
  1. Nakshatra Uttara Phalguni
  2. Network, Newsroom24x7 (28 April 2017). "Panguni Uthiram -Exclusive from Bhopal". Newsroom24x7. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  3. Panguni Uthiram at Lord Ekambaranathar Temple
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