Post No. 12,113
Date uploaded in London – – 10 June , 2023
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Hindus living in different regions in India has strange beliefs about the days of the week. Decades ago, I received an invitation about a wedding of a Malayali (keralite) and I was shocked when I saw the day of wedding as Saturday. Immediately I phoned my brother about it so that he can ask the gentleman to correct the error. He shot back saying that Sanivaar is sthiravaar and so they deliberately (consciously) chose that day.
Sanivaaram Sthiravaaram= Saturday is a steady day.
Steady means
1. firmly fixed, supported, or balanced; not shaking or moving.
“the lighter the camera, the harder it is to hold steady”
2.
regular, even, and continuous in development, frequency, or intensity.
But in Tamil Nadu nobody celebrates a marriage on a Saturday. communities:see Hindu marriages are celebrated on Saturdays and Sundays by different communities; it may be due to convenience of the relatives and friends.
In Madurai, I have an ophthalmologist as a close friend. He scheduled all his eye operations on Tuesdays. Then I challenged him saying that it was not a good day according to Hindu Panchang (almanac); no marriage is celebrated on a Tuesday in Tamil Nadu. He shot back saying Angaraka/Mars (Deity of Mangalwar) is red in colour and blood related things should be done only on Tuesdays!
But here are some strange and interesting beliefs about Days of the Week:
From very old times the Sun, his son Saturn and Mars have been believed to exert a harmful influence. But Moon, Mercury Jupiter and Venus are believed to exert good and positive effect on days of the week.
Sun- surya
Moon – Chandra or Soma
Mars – Angaraka or Mangal
Mercury- Budha
Jupiter – Guru, Brhaspati , Deva Guru
Venus – Sukra or Asura Guru
Saturn – Sani , Sanai Charan
It Tamil there is a proverb saying “pon kidaiththaalum budhan kildaikkathu” meaning it is easier to get gold but difficult to get Bhudvar/ Wednesday. The meaning is that Wednesday is the best day to do new things.
But Varahamihira in his Brhat Jataka says it is neutral in its influence and the good or bad effect or influence is decided by its conjunction with other planets.
Monday is the most lucky day and Saturday is the unlucky day, they say. The legend of infant Ganesa losing his head from the glance of Saturn/Sani falling upon him is well known.
Local incidents or accidents also create certain beliefs and they are exaggerated over a period of time. For instance, an epidemic of small pox broke out in Jessore in Bangladesh in 1817 and it happened in a month with five Saturdays. Then they spread the rumour that five Saturdays coming in the same month is very bad.
Tuesday’s Name is puzzling!
One puzzling circumstance is that Tuesday bears the name Mangalvaar/auspicious/fortunate day. But people believed that it is one of the unlucky days. It has been suggested that this nomenclature may be due to the old established fear of calling an unlucky thing by an unlucky name, the mere utterance may bring misfortune. Hence the covert reference to an ill -omened thing by the name “the fortune one” well understood by the hearer.
The red colour of Mars and its traditional connection with the idea of war and bloodshed are sufficient to have established him as a planet of ill omen. Lord Skandha is associated with Mangalvar in Tamil Nadu and he is the commander in chief of Divine army (Senapati).
Saturn is slow moving and it takes 30 years to go round the sun while earth takes only 365 days. So Saturn gives the impression of laziness. Moreover, one may face ups and downs in one’s life within this long time.
Jupiter (Guruvar) and Venus (Sukravar) , by their brilliance and beauty would establish themselves as beneficent. They are considered teachers of Devas and Asuras.
Moon is called Chandra or Soma. The word Soma is the name of the mysterious divine elixir in Rig Veda. No one could identify the plant and no one could prepare Soma Rasa from any plant in the world. That deepens its mystery. Moreover, throughout Sanskrit literature, moon is praised as the life giving force for the plants. But science says sun’s rays only help in photosynthesis of plants. Hindus believe the other way. So Monday(Soma var) is considered a beneficent one.
Moon is believed to hold the seed of all life, and from it is gathered by the gods and presented to mankind according to Kaushitaki Upanishad. If one day, science proves it, then Hindus may celebrate.
The belief about the connection between planets and girls is also interesting. According to tradition, in some parts of India, it is unlucky for a girl to come of age on a Sunday, Monday Tuesday or Saturday.
To be continued……………………………………
Tags- Days, Saturday, Lucky day, Unlucky days, Mangalvar, Tuesday, planet saturn
Tamil and Vedas 