Karthika Masam, spanning October to November, is a period steeped in spiritual significance for Hindus across India. This month is dedicated to worshipping Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva through various vratas (fasts) and festivals, each with its own unique rituals and stories. It's a time when the devout engage in practices to seek blessings and cleanse sins, illuminating their homes and lives with the divine.
One of the first festivals in Karthika Masam is Yama Vidhiya, also known as Bhagini Bhojanam. This festival celebrates the brother-sister bond, inspired by the legend of Lord Yama and his sister Yamuna. On this day, brothers visit their sisters, share a meal, and exchange blessings, symbolizing a mutual purification of sins.
Naga Pooja occurs shortly after Deepavali. This festival involves the worship of serpent gods, believed to bring welfare to one's children. Women, particularly married ones, fast and offer milk and fruits at snake pits, performing rituals to honor these divine creatures.
During Karthika Masam, the Ekadasi fast holds great importance. It is believed that Lord Vishnu, who sleeps on Ashada Shuddha Ekadasi, awakens on Karthika Shuddha Ekadasi. Devotees fast, praying and lighting lamps near sacred plants like Tulasi or gooseberry, and break their fast the next day with charitable acts.
Karthigai Pournami is the full moon day during this month, coinciding with the Krithika star. It is as significant as Shiva Ratri for its spiritual merit. Devotees fast, light hundreds of lamps, and visit temples to offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Vishnu, seeking blessings for prosperity and liberation.
In Thiruvannamalai, the Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated with grandeur. A colossal beacon is lit on the Arunachala hill, symbolizing Lord Shiva's infinite cosmic form. This festival, rooted in the myth of Lord Shiva's challenge to Lord Brahma and Vishnu, draws thousands of pilgrims annually.
As Karthika Masam concludes, the Poli Swargam Pooja takes place. Devotees set afloat lamps on banana stems in water bodies, a symbolic act of letting go of past sins and starting anew.
The Somavara Vratam, observed on Mondays of this month, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Devotees engage in Rudrabhishekam, a ritual bath of the Shiva Lingam, believing it absolves sins and cures illnesses.
Karthika Vanabhojanam is a unique celebration where people gather for a communal meal under sacred trees like Amla, believed to be favored by Lord Vishnu. This event combines religious devotion with community bonding.
This vratham is performed to honor Lord Vishnu after the fulfillment of wishes. It involves a ceremonial storytelling and distribution of prasad, emphasizing the power of truth and the divine grace in fulfilling human desires.
This vratham spans five days, culminating in the celebration of Lord Vishnu’s marriage to the Tulsi plant. It is a time of strict fasting, reflection, and devotion, primarily observed in southern India.
Nattalu Vratham involves fasting from dawn till dusk for nearly the entire month, a test of devotion and endurance for the faithful.
Karthika Masam is not just a month of individual fasting and feasting; it is a vibrant tapestry of communal worship, familial bonds, and spiritual rejuvenation. Each festival and vrata carried out during this sacred month helps devotees realign with their spiritual goals, seeking blessings and cleansing sins in the light of divine observance.
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