Thiru Adi Pooram

Sri Andal

Aadi Pooram is one  of the major festivals celebrated in every Vaishnavite temples. It falls on the Aadi month, in the Tamil calendar, and on the Pooram star. Andal is the incarnation of Bhoomi Piratti and took Her Avatar at Srivilliputhur (http://www.srivilliputtur.co.in/)

Andal wanted to marry Lord Ranganathar (Vishnu at Srirangam). She has composed a number of paasurams (devotional songs/poetry) in praise of Lord Ranganathar. Her paasurams are THIRUPPAVAI (30 Paasurams) and Nachiar Thirumozhi (143 Paasurams).

Aadi Pooram Celebration

Aadi Pooram festival is most famous in Srivilliputhur, the birthplace of Andal .The Aadi Pooram, ten-day festival is celebrated in all Lord Vishnu Temples in all over the world.. Most of the Vaishnavite temples, the first nine days are celebrated with daily recitation of the Pallandu, Thiruppavai and Nachiar Thirumozhi. On the 10th day of the usavam, the THIRUKKALYANAM (marriage) of ANDAL and LORD RANGANATHAR is celebrated. Special pujas are also conducted on this day. It is a belief that if unmarried girls take sankalpam during kalyana utsavam (Lords Marriage) and pray to Goddess Andal on that day (i.e. THIRUKKALYANAM DAY), they will get married soon. . In Temples, all women offer Glass bangles to goddess and those bangles are distributed to all the ladies.
Sri Andal -Srivilliputtur

In Andal's Pasuram

"நாறு நறும் பொழில் மாவிருஞ்சோலை நம்பிக்கு நான்

நூறு தடாவில் வெண்ணெய் வாய்நேர்ந்து பராவி வைத்தேன்;

நூறு தடா நிறைந்த அக்கார அடிசில் சொன்னேன்

எறு திருவுடையான் இன்று இவை கொள்ளுங்கொலோ ?"

The above Pasuram translates to :

To the Lord who lives in the grove-surrounded Maal-irunsolai

I vow to offer a hundred pots of butter today

And a hundred brimming pots of akkara adisal

Will the most praised Lord accept them and grant me my wish?

 The Lord granted her wish even before she could fulfill her vow, and it is said that Sri Ramanujar took it upon himself to offer a hundred pots of akkara adisal, on her behalf, to the Lord of Thirumalirunsolai, a century later, on the day of Aadi puram.   The followers of Sri Ramanujar, continue this tradition and offer akkara adisal to the Lord, on Her behalf, every Thiruvaadi puram.

We all  are celebrating this coming Thiru Aadi Pooram  by preparing “Akkara adisal Thirukannaamuth” and Naivedyam  to ANDAL.

Recipes:

Akkara Adisal 1                                           Akkara Adisal 2