Panguni Uthiram

Panguni Uthiram (Tamil: பங்குனி உத்திரம், romanized: Paṅkuṉi Uttiram) is a Tamil Hindu festival. It is marked on the purnima (full moon) of the month of Panguni (14 March - 13 April).^[1] It falls on the day the moon transits the nakshatram (asterism) of Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) in the twelfth month Panguni of the Tamil calendar.^[2] This coincides with the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna/Chaitra.^[3] Panguni is also the last month of the Solar Tamil Calendar year after which the next New Tamil Year begins.

Panguni Uthiram
Images of Murugan (centre) and his consorts, Devasena and Valli, venerated on this occasion
Observed by	Hindu Tamils
Type	Hindu
Significance	Commemoration of the weddings of Shiva and Parvati, Rama and Sita, Murugan and Devasena, Ranganatha and Andal Manifestation of Ayyappan
Celebrations	car festivals, kavadi
Observances	Puja in Vaishnava and Shaiva temples Festival of the 63 Saints (Nayanars)
Date	Full moon day of the month of Panguni
Frequency	Annual

Significance

Panguni Uthiram commemorates the weddings of Shiva and Parvati, Rama and Sita, Murugan (Kartikeya) and Devasena, and Ranganatha (Vishnu) and Andal. It is also marks the manifestation of Ayyappan.^[4][5][6]

Lakshmi is said to have emerged from the Ocean of Milk during the legend of the Samudra Manthana on this occasion, celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanti.^{[citation needed]}

The day is intended to underline the glory of grahasta dharma (the married life of a householder).^{[citation needed]}

Religious practices

Devotees of Murugan carry a kavadi for the fulfillment of vows, marked in Murugan temples.

The Brahmanda Purana indicates that on Panguni Uthiram, millions of devas bathe in the Tumburu Tirtha, one of seven sacred tanks in the Venkateshvara Temple of Tirupati. Bathing in the temple tank during this occasion is said to release one from the cycle of rebirth.^[7]

The day is of special significance to the worship of the prithvi lingam, the lingam the earth element, of the Ekambareswarar Temple at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, where festivities last for 13 days.^[8]

According to regional tradition, Parvati in the form of Gauri married Shiva in Kanchipuram. Hence, this day is also celebrated as Gauri Kalyanam.^[9]