A colourful Sembawang tradition that goes back to the days of the Naval Base, is the commemoration of the Hindu festival of Panguni Uthiram by the Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple. While much of the landscape through which the procession of kavadis that is associated with the festival has been altered by the move of the temple away from its original premises with its route not only changed, but also shortened over the years; it is good to see that it is celebrated with as much fervour as it was when my first encounters with it back in the 1980s.
This route of the procession of this year’s festival, which is celebrated on the full moon of the month of Panguni, took devotees from the empty plot of land off Canberra Drive , down Canberra Lane and Canberra Link to the temple’s premises at Yishun Industrial Park A.
More information on the festival and previous Panguni Uthiram celebrations can be found in several previous posts and at the temple’s website:
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2015 Panguni Uthiram
Panguni Uthiram is an important day for Tamil Hindus. It is observed in Panguni month when Nakshatra Uthiram or Uttara Phalguni prevails. Panguni is the twelfth and last month in Tamil Calendar. Panguni month is known as Meena month in other solar calendars.
On this day Nakshatram Uthiram coincides with full moon and it is believed that most divine marriages took place on this day. The marriage of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, Goddess Deivayanai and Lord Murugan, Goddess Sita and Lord Rama was conducted on Panguni Uthiram day.
As Sri Deivayanai married Lord Subramanya on this day, it is an important festival for Lord Subramanya devotees. On this day, devotees flock in hundreds to all Murugan temples. It is believed that Goddess Parvati in the form of Gowri married Lord Shiva in Kanchipuram and because of this belief this day is also celebrated as Gowri Kalyanam day.
This day is also known as Mahalakshmi Jayanti as on this day Goddess Mahalakshmi incarnated on the Earth during legendry churning of the Milky Ocean. Churning of Milky Ocean is also known as Ksheera Sagara Manthan. This day is also celebrated as Lord Ayyappan Jayanti. Lord Ayyappan was born due to union of Lord Shiva and Mohini, the female form of Lord Vishnu.
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What is the Significance of Panguni Uthiram Festival?
Panguni Uthiram is also known as “Meena Uthara-Phalguni” in Sanskrit. This day is observed on the transit of Moon in the star (Nakshatra) Uthara-Phalguni (also known as Uthiram) in the month of Panguni (March – April) in the Tamil calendar. According to the mythology, celestial weddings take place on this day and so Panguni Uthiram is known as the “Full Moon of Divine Marriages”.
The day connotes the wedding of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, Lord Muruga and Devasena and other celestial couples. According to Ramayana, it is on this day that Sita married Rama. Also, this is said to be the birthday ofLord Ayyappa. It is also believed that on this day, Goddess Mahalakshmi came to life on Earth from the ocean of milk which was churned by the Devas and the Demons on either sides and thus this day is also celebrated asMahalakshmi Jayanti.
Panguni Uthiram is considered to be the right day to tackle all kinds of relationship problems and give an immeasurable boost when you join hands with your better half in life. Precisely, the joy of a loving and positive company is celebrated on the Divine Marriage Day, Panguni Uthiram. The divine combination of Uttaraphalguni starwith the Full Moon on Panguni (Tamil month) drives away sufferings and anxiety in nuptial life. By worshipping the Divine Couples on this day, we can connect with their energy to alleviate our relationship troubles.
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Significance of Panguni Uthiram
Panguni Uthiram is one of the most important festivals for Hindus. The important aspect of this day is that the Pournami and Uthiram start falls on the same day of Panguni month which is the last month of the Tamil Calendar year. This year it is celebrated on 3rd Apr 2015.
Panguni uthiram day is considered to be a holy day as it is stated in Puranas that the celestial weddings(Divine marriages) took place on this day. On this day, the marriage of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, Murugan and Deivanai, Rama and Sita. Also this day is the Birthday of Lord Iyappan. It is also stated in puranas that Goddess Mahalakshmi incarnated on earth from the ocean of milk churned by the Gods and Demons. We call this day as Mahalakshmi Jayanthi.
Most of the Hindu devotees fast on this auspicious day and carry Pal Kudam / Kavadi and walk to Murugan temple . Devotees from many parts of India, gather in the temples of Arupadai Veedu and pray to Lord Muruga.
Puranic (Legend) Story - According to Kandapuranam, there is a legend Manmadha Dhakanam. Manmadhan, the Lord of Kama disturbed the penance of Lord Shiva and the offended Lord Shiva destroyed the Lord of Kama into ashes. Rathi the wife of Kama Deva offered her prayers and request to bear the sins of her husband. Lord Shiva relented and reincarnated Manmadhan.
Panguni Uthiram 2015
Panguni Uthiram is a very important day in Tamil Nadu, India. It falls on the day, when the moon transits in the nakshatra (constellation) of Uttara-phalguni (Uthiram), in the month,Panguni (March-April),which is the full moon of the month of Pangun. This full moon day is significant of the marriage of Shiva-Parvati, Lord Murugan-Teyvayanai and Aandaal- Rangamannar.
On this day, Murugan gives his Kalyana Kola Seva to his disciples. As per the Valmiki Ramayana, this is the auspicious day when shri Ram and Sita got married. Panguni month (March . April) is similar to that of Phalgun month in other calendars.
As per the Brahmanda Puranam ,on Panguni Uthiram every holy water joins Thumburu teertha, one of the seven sacred tanks in Tirupati Tirumala. The day is the symbol of grahasta dharma i.e, the married life of a person. The Almighty manifests in the marital state as Sita-Ram,Radha Krishna and Uma Maheswara. This day, the Lord, in Shiva and Vishnu temples, appears to devotees in his married state. Festival is mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva, Parvathi, and Lord Murugan.
Panguni Uthiram festival falls on the full moon day or Pournami.Panguni Uthiram is a very important festival for the Tamilians, which is celebrated during Panguni masam or Tamil month of Panguni (March . April),during Uthiram nakshatra day.The celestial wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi,called,Shiva Parvathi Kalyanam, is the major event during this festival, in Tamil Nadu.
The Panguni Uthiram festival
The Panguni Uthiram festival falls in the month 'Panguni' (March-April). This month is special because of the star 'Uthiram' and 'Pournami' occurring together. Besides, it is on "Panguni Pournami Uthiram" that the marriage of Parvati and Parameshwara, Muruga and Devasena, and Andal (also known as 'Kothai') and Rangamannar (also splet as Rangamannar) took place.
Also, Valmiki's Ramayan (also spelt as Ramayana) says it is on this day and star that Sita's marriage with Rama was celebrated. From Brahmanda Purana one learns that on Panguni Uthiram every holy water joins Thumburu Teertha (also spelt as Tirtha), one of seven sacred tanks in Tirupati Tirumala.
Its Importance - The ancients chose Uthiram to convey to humans that it is for underlining the glory of Grahasta Dharma (married life) that the Almighty manifests in the marital state as Uma Maheshwara, Sita Rama, and Radha Krishna - despite his changelessness, sans childhood or youth or old age. The Lord is indeed a "Nitya Kalyana Murti". It is our duty to celebrate this day when the Lord, in both Shiva and Vishnu temples, appears to devotees in his married state.
On Panguni Uthiram, in all places where Lord Subramanya has a temple, his devotees carry in a Kavadi the requisites of puja for him, in fulfilment of vows. Such vow fulfilment by devotees carrying Kavadis is a special feature of Subrahmanya temples wherever they happen to be.
Devotees flock in hundreds to the Perur temple near Coimbatore during the Panguni Uthiram festival, which is celebrated in March every year.
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Significance of Panguni Uthiram
Fests and beyond:Historians Chithra Madhavan and V. Sriram. (Right) People carrying milk pots, a ritual closely associated with the festival.
Panguni Uthiram is a much talked about festival of many temples throughout South India. Devotees flock to temples nearby and some of the famous temples which assumes a lot of importance during this festival is Perur-near Coimbatore, Palani, Kapaleeswarar-Mylapore, Vadapalani Murugan temple, to name a few. The festival falls during March-April. Panguni is special because of the coming together of the star Uthiram and Pournami.
The Panguni Utsavam is a unique festival in this temple which lasts for seven days and culminates on the Uthiram day with the marriage of Goddess Malayala Nachiyar or Serakula Nachiyar to the Lord. People throng in thousands to witness this divine marriage.
An epigraph of 1582 A.D. of the reign of the Vijayanagara monarch Sriranga Raya mentions an endowment for offerings to be made during this festival which is specially called Serakula-Nachiyar Panguni Uthiram Sathumurai . The images of Serakula Nachiyar and Senai Mudaliyar (Vishvaksena) are taken in procession to a garden named Dalavaya Toppu where offerings were made.
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Panguni Uthiram (Tamil:பங்குனி உத்திரம்)
Also known as Meena Uttara-phalguni in Sanskrit Panguni Uthiram (Tamil:பங்குனி உத்திரம்) 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 solar calendar i.e. Panguni (March–April). It is the full moon of the month of Panguni.
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 took place. On Panguni Uthiram, Narayana marries Komalavalli Naachiyar and give his 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 every 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. The Lord is indeed a Nitya Kalyana Murthi. It is our duty to celebrate this day when the Lord, in both Shiva and Vishnu temples, appears to devotees in his married state. On Panguni Uthiram, in all places where Lord Subrahmanya has a temple, his devotees carry in a kavadi the requisites for puja for him, in fulfilment of vows. Such vow fulfilment by devotees carrying kavadis is a special feature of Subrahmanya temples wherever they happen to be.
Devotees flock in hundreds to the all Murugan temples during the Panguni Uthiram festival, which is celebrated in March every year. It is the Jayanti (Day of Incarnation) of Lord Ayyappan. It is also an important festival day for Lord Subramanya (Muruga), as it is on this day that Sri Deivanai married Lord Subramanya. 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 celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanti. On this day Goddess Parvati in the form of Gowri married Lord Siva in Kanchipuram and hence this day is also celebrated as the Gowri Kalyanam day.
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