Aadi Krithigai 2024 date– Festival Dedicated To Lord Muruga in Aadi Masam

adi Krithigai is an important festival celebrated in the Tamil month of Adi or Aadi. In 2024, the date of Aadi Krithigai is July 29. The festival is dedicated to Lord Muruga or Subramanya. Incidentally, the festival is also referred as Aadi Krittika, Kirthigai, Kritika and Krithika. The festival is celebrated with fervor in the Murugan Temples in Tamilnadu.

Tiruttani Murugan Temple – Aadi Krithigai

The day is of great importance at the Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple in Tiruttani in Tiruvallur district. The temple, one of the Arupadai Veedu shrines that are considered important for Muruga, attracts over 400,000 devotees on Aadi Krithigai day. devotees from these four districts are expected to participate in the celebrations in Tiruttani to fulfil their vows by carrying Kavadi, and climbing up the 365 steps of the hillock there. A three-day float festival is held on the occasion of Aadi Krithigai at the temple.

Story of Observing Aadi Krithigai

As per some beliefs Muruga first appeared on earth on Aadi Krithigai day.

Aadi Krithigai in some regions is celebrated to symbolize the victory of good over evil when Murugan slew the demon Surapadman. After the annihilation of the demon, Muruga blessed devotees with boons.

According to Hindu scriptures, Lord Muruga was born as six different babies. And he was looked after by the six Krittika stars. Later, Lord Muruga was combined as a single baby with six heads by Goddess Parvati on Aadi Krithigai day. There are many variations to this legend. This is another reason for observing Aadi Krithigai.

Krittikas, the six stars of the Pleiades, who happened to be traversing the skies, happened to hear the gurgling of a happy baby from the Saravana lake – a marshy lake in the Himalayas filled with a thicket of reeds.

Flooded with maternal love, the six maidens rushed to pick up the charming infant. Each wanted to pick up the child. It is said that to fulfill the motherly affection of the six maidens, Muruga metamorphosed into six individual forms. The delighted krittikas each gathered a baby in their arms and suckled the infants and lavishing care on them.

The six babies represent synergy of

desire (Kama)
Consciousness (Shiva)
Earth (Parvati)
Fir (Agni)
Water (Ganga)
Space (Krittika)

Why Krithigai Nakshatra in Aadi month is important?

The Krithigai star or Nakshatra is considered highly auspicious to worship Muruga. And Aadi Krithigai is more important because Aadi is the first month in the Dakshinayana punyakalam – when the sun god changes his direction from north to south.

Devotees carry flower Kavadi on the Aadi Krithigai day. It is celebrated in a grand way with various rituals in Murugan temples across the world.

Temples dedicated to Muruga who is also known as Skanda and Shanmukha is lavishly decorated and offerings on the day include milk, panchamrutham and rice.

Lord Murugan Temples in Tamilnadu, Kerala

, Sri Lanka

, Malaysia

, South Africa

and Singapore

have special rituals and poojas on the day.

Other popular days in a year associated with Muruga are Thaipusam and Skanda Sashti – Soorasamharam.

References:

https://www.hindu-blog.com/2007/08/aadi-krithigai-festival-dedicated-to.html#google_vignette

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