Festival of Karthigai

Why is Karthigai celebrated by Vaishnavites?

This had been a doubt I always had. Mostly we see that in tamil Nadu, it is associated with the Thiruvannamalai Deepam. This is the latest discovery I made thanks to my Father-in-law. Thanks to Santhanam, I was able to explain more about Adhyayana Utsavam.

• Karthigai day is the day when Namperumal (Lord Sri Ranganatha of Thiruvarangam/Srirangam) orders His sri padam thangigal to go and bring Nammazhvar to Srirangam for conducting adhyayana utsavam.(Explained below)

• It is the birth date (tirunakshatram)of Tirumangai Azhvar

• It is the day when we burn the bad behaviors symbolized by chokka panai (I've explained about this below)

• It is the day when we light lamps symbolising blossoming knowledge

What is this Adhyayana Utsavam?

Adhyayanam means to memorise and recite correctly, with proper accents.

Thiru Adhyayana Uthsavam was actually started by Sri Thirumangai Azhwar himself. It was said that, Sri Thirumangai Azhwar used to go from Sri Rangam to Azhwar Thirunagari and bring Swami Nammazhwar's Thirumeni to Sri Rangam. The day Swami Nammazhwar arrives at Sri Rangam was always the Sukla Paksha Ekadasi (Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi).

On this auspicious day, Swami Nammazhwar was adorned with Muthangi and Namperumal with Rathnangi. Starting from Ekadasi, next nine days, Sri Thirumangai Azhwar arranged to recite Swami Nammazhwar's prabhandhams in front of Namperumal.  After the days of Sri Thirumangai Azhwar, the practice was slowly stopped.

It was Swami Ramanujar, who started the practice again. (Some also say Sri Nathamunigal actually restarted this again.) Anyway, it was felt that bringing Swami Nammazhwar's Thirumeni from Azhwar Thirunagari was difficult and hence was decided to install a Thirumeni of Swami Nammazhwar at the Sri Rangam temple. Sri Ramanujar also added ten days before the Ira Paththu and called them Pagal Paththu, and arranged that during these ten days prabhandhams of other Azhwars should be recited. Because, Sri Thirumangai Azhwar started it, the day before the Pagal Paththu Uthsavam first day, Namperumal listens to ThiruNedunthandagam of Sri Thirumangai Azhwar. So, originally started as ten days festival by Sri Thirumangai Azhwar and was later modified as Twenty one day (+one day for ThiruNedunthandagam) by Swami Emberumanar.

Now come to the question, why we are not reciting Pranbhandhams during these days?

One of the reasons was during this time, Swami Nammazhwar was on transit from Azhwar Thirunagari to Sri Rangam. Therefore, our Poorvacharyas might thought, it was not appropriate for us to recite, as the entire 4000 Pranbhandhams was considered as the Pranbhandhams of Swami Nammazhwar (Nathnakku Nalayiramum uraithan vazhiye).

Second thing, Nalayiram is considered as The Dravida Vedam. For the Vedas, there is a specific period (during a year) called Adhyayana kalam and there is a time when you should not recite Vedas (Anadhyayana kalam). To give that samyam (equality), our Acharyas might have decided to have this Adhyayana and Anadhyayana kalams.

What is Chokka Panai?

During karthigai deepam mostly this chokka panai will be performed. The palmirah tree trunk will be made hollow and stuffed with charkol, umi, etc. and lit fire. the fire will spread in charkol and umi . that will be tied in a rope and swung around when the fire apark will fly in the air and give a garland look, sparks and a grand look