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| Thiruvathira | |
|---|---|
 Shiva as Nataraja and Parvati, Thousand-Pillared Hall, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai | |
| Observed by | Hindus |
| Type | Religious |
| Significance | Celebrates the cosmic dance, Birthday, andArdhanarishvara form of LordShiva |
| Observances | Fasting,Abhisheka,puja, chariot procession,Thiruvasagam, Thiruvathirakali |
| Date | Margali |
| Duration | 10 days |
| Frequency | Annual / Biannual |
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Thiruvathira (also known asThiruvathirai orArudhra Darisanam) is aHindu festival predominantly observed in theIndian states ofKerala andTamil Nadu.[2][3][4] The termThiruvathirai (Arudhra) inTamil translates to "sacred grand wave," symbolizing the cosmic dance of LordShiva.
In Tamil Nadu, the festival holds special significance at theNataraja Temple inChidambaram, where the annual Arudhra Darshanam is celebrated with grandeur.[5][6] This event commemorates the celestial dance of LordNataraja, an embodiment of Shiva.
In Kerala, the festival is observed during theMalayalam month of Makaram (January–February) under the Thiruvathira asterism (star). A notable celebration occurs at the Mathira Peedika Devi Temple inKadakkal,Kollam district, administered by the Thiruvithamcore Devaswom Board. Devotees gather here to honour Lord Shiva through rituals, fasting, and traditional performances likeThiruvathira Kali (a circular dance).
Thiruvadirai – Arudra Darshan is a prominent Hindu festival celebrated grandly across five sacredsabhas (halls) associated with Lord Nataraja:
In Thillai Chidambaram, a 10-day festival is observed during the Thiruvathirai asterism at theNataraja Temple. The rituals commence with theMaha Abhishekam (sacred ablution) performed for deitiesNataraja and Sivakamasundari in the Raja Sabha during the early hours of the 10th day (around 3:00 AM). This elaborate ritual lasts 3–4 hours. Subsequently, the deities are adorned withThiruvabaranam (sacred jewels) and worshipped throughRahasiya Puja (esoteric rites). At noon, thePancha Murthi Thiruveethi Ula (procession of five deities) is held, followed by the Arudra Darisanam, where Nataraja and Sivakami bless devotees with the vision of Shiva's cosmic dance (Ananda Tandava) before returning to the Kanaka Sabha.[7]
According to legend,Shesha (Vishnu's divine serpent) and the sageVyaghrapada sought to witness Shiva's cosmic dance. They performed intense penance at Chidambaram's Nataraja Temple. Shiva, pleased by their devotion, granted their wish and performed theAnanda Tandava. He also blessed Vyaghrapada with tiger-like legs to collect flowers undisturbed by bees, symbolizing the sage's unwavering dedication.[8]
Arudra Darshan (Thiruvathirai) is observed on thefull moon night of theTamil month ofMargazhi (December–January), which coincides with the longest night of the year.[9][10][11] Historical evidence, including stone inscriptions, indicates that the festival has been celebrated for over 1,500 years. InTamil tradition, Shiva is venerated as Athiraiyan, a name derived fromThiruvathirai (Thiru meaning "sacred" andAthirai signifying "stability" or "greatness").[12][13]
The festival is marked by the recitation ofTamil hymns ofManikkavasakar'sTiruvacakam, particularlyTiruvempavai andTiruppallieluchi, in Shiva temples across Tamil Nadu. On the day of Thiruvathirai, idols ofNataraja (Shiva as the cosmic dancer) and his consort Shivagami (Parvati) are ceremoniously paraded outside temple premises in grand processions, a hallmark ofShaivite worship.
TheTevaram hymns, composed by saints likeSambandar (7th–9th century CE), describe Thiruvathirai celebrations at prominent temples such asKapaleeshwaram Temple (Mylapore,Chennai).[14] Similarly,Appar (a 7th-century saint) dedicated a pathigam (10-song cycle) in the Tevaram to Thiruvathirai, elaborating on its spiritual and cultural importance.[15] Appar also documented the festival's observance atTiruvarur Temple in his4thTirumurai.[16][17]
Arudra Darshan celebrates Shiva'sAnanda Tandava (cosmic dance of bliss), symbolizing the perpetual cycle of creation, protection, destruction, embodiment, and liberation.[18][19][20] This dance is believed to manifest as a golden-red flame (Arudhra), with Shiva incarnating as Nataraja on this day to embody divine energy.[20][21][22] The festival underscores the belief that this cosmic dance animates all particles in the universe, serving as the source of all cosmic energy.[20]
The festival is observed in Shiva and Nataraja temples worldwide, including the Sundareswarar Temple in Thinnapuram, Sri Lanka, where it is called Elatu Chidambaram.[23][24][25][26] A key ritual involves offering Thiruvathirai Kali (a sweet dish made ofrice,jaggery, andlentils) asneivedhyam (divine offering) to Nataraja.[27][28][29]
In 2022, Arudra Darshan did not align with the traditional calendar, leading to its dual celebration in 2023—a periodic occurrence due tolunisolar calendar adjustments.[30]
In Tamil Nadu, particularly theKongunadu region, Thiruvathirai holds deep cultural and religious significance. Married women observe a ten-day fasting ritual known as ThiruvempavaiNonbu, beginning nine days before Thiruvathirai and concluding on the festival day.[31][32] During this period, they consume a pre-dawn meal (palliyai unavu) and fast until moonrise, breaking it only after sighting the moon.
A special feast is prepared on Thiruvathirai, featuring:
The festival is marked by grand processions of Nataraja (Shiva's dancing form) across Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. At the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, the rituals include:
The Chidambaram Temple remains the epicenter of Arudra Darshan celebrations, emphasizing Shiva's role as the cosmic dancer who sustains the cycle of creation and dissolution.
Thiruvathira, associated with thenakshatra (star) of Shiva in the Malayalam calendar, holds deep cultural and spiritual importance inKerala. According to tradition, the festival marks the day GoddessParvathi united with Shiva as his equal partner (saha-dharma chaarini), symbolizing marital harmony and embodied in theArdhanarishvara form (half-Shiva, half-Parvati).[35] An alternative belief links the festival to the death ofKamadeva, the god of desire.[36]
Thiruvathira is a major festival in Kerala, celebrated alongsideOnam andVishu. Primarily observed by women, it involves:
Thiruvathirakali, a traditional group dance performed by women, is central to the celebrations. Accompanied byThiruvathira paattu (folk songs narratingParvati devotion and Shiva's grandeur), dancers move in circular patterns around anilavilakku (traditional lamp), embodyinglasya (graceful, feminine movements).[37] The dance involves rhythmic clapping and pirouettes, reflecting themes of marital bliss and longing.
Historically performed indoors during festivals (as known as Kaikottikali – "clapping dance inside homes"), participants wear traditionalmundu (draped cloth) andneriyathu (upper garment), with hair adorned by jasmine garlands. Thiruvathirakali symbolizes joy, marital harmony, and the aspirations of unmarried women, often regarded as Kerala's counterpart toKarva Chauth.[38]
The world's largest Thiruvathirakali performance was organized by Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Kitex Group, in collaboration with the Chavara Cultural Centre and Parvanendu School of Thiruvathira. Held on 1 May 2017, the event featured 6,582 participants (aged 10–75), including women and girls from Kerala, 20 other Indian states, and oneRussian national. Participants, trained by renowned Thiruvathirakali instructors, performed a synchronized 16-minute dance in traditionalkasavu mundu andneriyathu attire provided by the Kitex Group.Guinness World Records adjudicator Rishi Nath officially certified the achievement.
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