Adi Velli and Fridays in Adi Masam

This article gives you the significance of Aadi velli, the Goddesses dedicated to each Friday, Ways of performing pooja, dates of Aadi velli and much more details for getting the blessings of Goddess Shakthi. Read this useful article and celebrate Aadi velli.

Significance of Aadi Velli

Aadi month (July 17th - August 16th), the 4th month of the Tamil Calender is very special for spiritual activities. It is believed that the Goddess Shakthi doubles her power and worshipping her will help one to achieve what one needs. The Goddess will protect her devotees from all negative effects. This article is about the Aadi velli or the Fridays of Aadi month which are considered auspicious.

Aadi Velli - The 5 Fridays of Aadi month

1st Aadi Friday dedicated for the Goddess of Wealth
The 1st Friday of Aadi month. This is dedicated to Goddess Swarnambika. This Goddess is a form of Goddess Parvati. One who worships will be blessed with wealth and all the properties. One should perform prayers to the goddess to get wealth and material gains.

2nd Aadi Friday dedicated for the Goddess of AngalaAmman
The 2nd Friday of Aadi month dedicated to AngalaAmman. Offer prayers to the Goddess who is a form of Kali to get Extraordinary Intelligence.

3rd Aadi Friday for the Goddess of Courage and Health
The 3rd Friday which is dedicated to Annai Kalikambal. She is a powerful Goddess another form of Goddess Parvati. Praying this Goddess will help one to achieve courage and health.

4th Aadi Friday for the Goddess of Relationship
 The 4th Friday of Aadi month is dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi Amman, a form of Goddess Shakti. One who offers prayers on this Friday will get her blessings and the Goddess will remove all the obstacles faced by the individual in marriage, childbirth, relationships, etc..

August 16th - 5th Aadi Friday for the Goddess of Overall Prosperity
The last Aadi Friday which is dedicated to Lakshmi, wife of Lord Vishnu. Varalakshmi Pooja falls on this day and this pooja is a very special one for all women. The Goddess will bless the women and hears all the desires of them and fulfills the wishes. Women will pray for the good health of their husbands. This pooja is performed with a Kalasam closed with coconut.

How to Worship the Goddess Shakthi on Aadi Velli

1. Chakkarai Pongal and Payasam are cooked on this day and offered to the Goddess.

2. Lemon Malai is offered to Kamakshi Amman to get divine protection and to remove obstacles.

3. Thamboolam is given to five Sumangalis. Thamboolam is nothing but KumKum, turmeric, beetel leaves, thali kayiru, banana and flowers. One can even offer blouse bits or sarees too.

4. Offer Milk and Egg to the Nagam.

5. Light ghee lamps to the Goddess Lakshmi.

Adi Amavasai

Vedic Astrology reveals the secret powers of the Moon that are only available during specific Moon phases. There are 3 extra powerful New Moons each year, and one of them occurs in the month of August. This is an ideal time for making ritual offerings to your ancestors, who have the power to elevate your status and bless you for success in life.
It is extremely difficult to progress in life without ancestral blessings. The blessings of your ancestors are a major reason why you succeed or do not succeed in life. The influence of your ancestors is so profound that the majority of your thoughts come from your ancestors, so they are in control of your destiny. Moreover, familial curses can become major impediments to happiness and prosperity.
HOW TARPANAM CAN CHANGE YOUR DESTINY
Your ancestors are living through you, and you live through them. Performing the ritual of Tarpanam can bring you immense benefits, and even give you miracles.

A NEW MOON THAT HELPS YOUR ANCESTORS CROSS OVER

On Aadi Amavasya, spirits are more willing and able to make a full crossing to the other worlds. They are especially satisfied and pleased when honored. When they cross over completely and successfully, they can bring you many blessings and significant improvement in your life.
Take advantage of this time, Aadi Amavasya, the New Moon day when the Sun and the Moon in the star Pushya (ruled by Saturn) come together in Cancer making it an auspicious time for ancestral rituals, for bringing relief to your ancestors’ souls so you can have better overall progress in life.

Neivedyam

1.Vadai ,Payasam ,chakra Pongal,
2.vepillai malai
3.Pacha Parupu Sambar with Avarakai/ yellow pumpkin

4. Vazhakai poriyal 

Avoid using onion ,garlic or tomato .

Touching The feet of Elders - Why should we do it?

How to address and call Srimad Narayana in a Specific Situation

1.While taking medicines - Vishnu
2.While going to sleep - Padmanabha
3.while getting married - Prajapathi
4.During War&Battles - Chakrathari
5.During Travel -Thirivikrama
6.Last days of life- Narayana
7.While talking to friends -Sridhara
8.If you get bad dreams - Govindha
9.During difficult times -Madhusudhana
10.While going in a seperate path - Narasimha
11.When facing danger because of Fire -Jalasayena
12.When facing danger because of Water - Varagha
13.While climbing the Hills - Raghunandhana
14.While walking on the road -Vamana
15.Whenever and Always - Madhava

How to lit up charcoal and use Sambrani

Sambrani is called benzoin resin in English and it is the resin of a tree that is dried, powdered and sold in the markets, either as a powder or in blocks

To light  up sambrani smoke, coal is collected in sambrani holder and the sambrani powder is sprinkled over it.The ayurveda, advises us to use sambrani, as it calms the nerves, and produces tranquility, thus making the person ready for prayers. Years back women after having their hair wash, used to light up sambrani and keep a straw basket above it. The steam will seep out of the pores of the straw basket. If we keep our wet hair near the basket, it will dry it very soon and also leave a beautiful fragrant smell in our hair. Even if we have hair wash during winter months, if we use sambrani, we will not get a headache, especially if we have long, thick hair. I try to follow this tradition, once in a while. Sambrani is also used for babies, after children have their bath, sambrani is lit and brought in that room. This prevents them from catching a cold but make sure not to bring the smoke too near the babies, as it will make them cough. No auspicious day is complete without sambrani, sambrani is always lit during our prayers and rituals. Nowadays a new variety of sambrani called computer sambrani is available. This type does not need any coal, these are like cones made with sambrani, just light them like dhoops. Somehow, they seem fake because they produce black smoke and smell so weird. We can  regularly light up sambrani every Friday morning, take it to every room in the house, this tradition also wards of mosquitoes and cleanses the whole place. Yo can powder neem leaves and kungilium(Guggul) along with sambrani for using it around the home. It is even more effective for warding of the mosquitoes. Every once in a while when you have plenty of time, take an oil bath, play some divine music, light up sambrani and dry your hair with it.

METHOD:1. This is sambrani powder, it comes as a block or like this in powder form. Use this as such for drying your hair, when using it keep a straw basket above the sambrani holder after sprinkling the sambrani powder. The fumes will seep through the pores, now you can dry your hair with the fumes. Keeping the straw basket prevents accidents and it also lets out fumes evenly

2. For using it around the home, take fresh neem leaves, dry and powder them in a mixer. Now take sambrani, kungilium and add to the powdered neem leaves and powder together well. It need not be very fine, even if it is a bit coarse it is ok. To use, sprinkle the powder over hot coal and take it around the home.

3. To use sambrani holder, collect hot coal in sambrani holder, sprinkle little bit sambrani powder, it will start emitting smoke. Once the smoke stops, add some more sambrani powder. Also try to fan the coal periodically to prevent it from loosing it's heat.

NOTES:

• Once you open up a sambrani packet, store it in airtight box.
• Sambrani holders are available every where, buy ones with a long handle else it will be difficult to hold it.
• Usually sambrani holders are made of brass.
• Light up sambrani at least weekly once and fill the whole house with the smoke. It will ward of mosquitoes, make the whole house smell divine.
• Even for headaches, sambrani smoke is very good.
• I will give full details about kungilium in future posts.

Sambandam Mudaliar Family in Thirupathi

The Thali Design

This is almost the same design as what our family wears. There are slight modifications from this design.
This design is called Thoppa thaali with thennamkithu oodha poo.

The Full set will have a golden chain with yellow sacred thread tied along the gold chain and with 7 to 9 pendants along both sides of the thirumangalyam like the one below.


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The  different types Pendants or ooruvu are Pineapple,Mango,Coconut, gold coin,banana, Conch,Coral bead  , Mahalakshmi , etc