

Written by London Swaminathan
Uploaded in London on – 8 JANUARY 2020
Post No.7434
contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
pictures are taken from various sources; thanks.
By London swaminathan
ARDRA FETIVAL FALLS ON 10TH JANUARY, 2020.
Devotees of Lord Vishnu celebrated Vaikunda Ekadasi on 6th January 2020. Every year a famous Shiva Festival follows Vaikunda Ekadasi. It is known as Aardra Festival. Temples all over South India celebrate both these festivals in a grand manner.

What is Aardra?
Aardra or Aarudra or Thiruvaathirai (in Tamil) is a star in the 27 star system in Hindu astronomy. It is part of the Orion Constellation in the Northern sky. The name of this star is Betelgeuse . tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Aardra in Sanskrit means WET. This star is associated with Lord Shiva. It is customary for the Hindus to keep the statues of Shiva always wet. So in every temple, there is a Shiva Linga on which there is a vessel with a very small hole. Milk or water will always be dripping on the head of Lord Shiva. Hindus know the famous saying,
VISHNU IS ALANKARA PRIYA
SHIVA IS ABISHEKA PRIYA
Vishnu idols are decorated beautifully with the finest jewellery and clothes.
Shiva idols are always bathed with water, milk or honey.
Alankara means decorating with ornaments and clothing.
Abhisheka means ritual bathing.
Kanchi Shankaracharya Swamiji (1894-1994) explains it beautifully,
“Lord Isvara (Shiva) in his manifestation as Dancing Nataraja , gives his darshan in the early morning of the day on which the confluence of full moon (Purnima) and the star Aardra occurs. This revelation of the Lord is known as Aardra Darsanam. The combination of Aardra and the full moon occurs once a year, in the month of Maargazi (Maargasiirsha in Sanskrit) corresponding to December-January. The meaning of the Sanskrit word Aardra is wet or dripping. In the context of Aardra Darsan, aardra signifies wet with COMPASSION or ‘nanaintha manasu’ in Tamil. This is the period of the year when Nature, which is nothing else than a manifestation of God, puts on a wet cloak of dew. What a wonderful combination is the cool soothing rays of the full moon and the dripping dew that envelops the earth! On such an auspicious day we should also perform abisheka with a heart overflowing with compassion towards our fellow beings and earn His blessings.”
-January 5, 1958 (Acharya’s Madras Discourses, B G Paul & co, Madras (Chennai).
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Chidambaram is one of the Pachabhuta Sthala (Five Elements Shrines), where this festival is celebrated on a grand scale. Hindus in South India believe that five shrines are very holy because Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of five natural elements –tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Chidambaram – Akasa / space or vacuum
Thiruvanaikovil near Trichy – Appu / Water
Tiruvannamalai – Agni / fire
Kalahasti – Vayu / air
Kanchipuram – Prithvi / earth.
Of these five temples, Chidambaram is the place where God is worshipped formless and so Hindus consider it as the most sacred place. Near the vacuum hall which is curtained, there is the most famous Dancing form of Lord Shiva known as Nataraja illustrating the cosmic principle. This explains all that is discovered so far in science from nuclear science to Black holes.

What do Hindus do on Aardra festival day?
In all the South Indian temples Abhisheka (ritual bathing of Shiva with water, milk, honey, coconut water, curd/yoghurt ,ghee, sandal paste, pomegranate juice, fruit salad/Panchamrita, cooked food , holy ash etc. Hindus flock to the Shiva temples in thousands and thousands. Many Shiva temples have ten day long festivals with Chariot Procession/ Rath Yatra during this season.
This ceremony commences at about midnight and lasts till late in the morning. When the bathing is over the image is choicely decorated with costly jewels donated by the kings and devotees. This is done behind the screen/curtain and when it is raised the whole hall rings with the hymns of praise chanted by thousands of pilgrims. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Pandit Natesa Sastri adds in his book Hindu Feasts (year 1903) ,
“In Chidambaram the procession of Nataraja takes place in the evening. This is the most impressive scene of the Aardra festival and the Ananda Tandavam – the dance in ecstatic joy – takes place on the occasion. The bearers of the image have a mode of marching slowly, so as to give the image the appearance of dancing. The garbagriha (sanctum sanctorum) is reached after a slow march of three or four hours; and this completes the Aardra festival. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Shiva temples in Tiruvarur, Lalgudi, Perur, Madurai, Tirunelvely, Kanchipuram also celebrate it with lots of devotees visiting the temple.
Great Saiva philosopher Manikkavasagar spent his last days in Chidambaram and a small festival to honour the philosopher takes place in this (Chidambaram) temple . Manikkavasagar festival is celebrated in Tirupperundurai, Thiruvathavur and Madurai as well.
In Kerala
Malayalees celebrate Thiru Aathirai (Aardra) with dance and music. The women wear traditional dress and dance in circles with Ardra songs in Malayalam.
Saivite Hindus all over Tamil Nadu prepare special Sweet Pudding today called Kali with a special side dish (Kuuttu).
Two festivals with special Titles
Word Thiru is a honorific title in Tamil. This is a cognate word with Sri and SIR title in English.
T becomes S and S becomes T in many world languages. Thus we equate SRI=THIRU=SIR
(TION= SION in English)
Kanchi Shankaracharya (1894-1994) points out two relevant things in his discourses. tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
He says that Tamils and Malayalees have rightly added the honorific Thiru with only two stars in the 27 star system.
Thiru Onam (sravna)
Thiru Aathirai (ardra).
Both these are celebrated grandly in Vishnu and Shiva temples. One for Vishnu and one for Shiva showing both are one. More over they are spaced in a way to cover the whole year.
How to solve your problems?
Kanchi Pramacharya (1894- 1994) concludes beautifully one of his discourses on Ardra festival thus,
“Many people come to me every day and pour into my ears heart rending tales of their sorrows and afflictions. What solace can I offer to them except to tell them that their heart aches from dukkha and taapa will be assuaged if they perform abisheka to Parameswara with faith and devotion, doing daily puja to Him. In this sacred Margazi (Margasirsa), everyone should get up at ushath kala, long before dawn, and turn his thoughts to God and thereby find remedy for all his troubles and tribulations.” tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Discourse on December 5, 1957 in Madras.
From The Acharya’s Call, Part 1, B G Paul & Co, Madras 1964.
Before concluding he quotes two beautiful Sanskrit verses which show all surrounding Shiva are cool such as moon, Ganga on his head, winter season and abisheka from devotees. By keeping Shiva cool, we get his blessings. Keep Lord Shiva cool to keep ourselves cool (happy).
–subham–