Vaikasi Visakam 2023 Date, Time, Rituals, and Significance
Vaikasi Visakam is celebrated as Lord Murugan’s birthday. It is celebrated during Visakam Nakshatra in the Tamil month Vaikasi. Vaikasi is the second Solar month in the Tamil calendar, and Visakam is the sixteenth star out of twenty-seven that appears each month. In other Hindu calendars, Vaikasi month is known as Vrishabha month, and Visakam Nakshatra is known as Vishakha Nakshatra. Vaikasi Visakam occurs between May and June.
The birth anniversary of Lord Muruga, who is also known as the God of Bravery, Wealth, and Intelligence, is primarily celebrated by Tamilians around the globe. Lord Muruga is the younger offspring of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, as well as the younger brother of Lord Ganesha. Lord Muruga’s other names include Lord Senthil, Lord Kumaran, Lord Subramanyam, and Lord Shanmugam. Because Lord Murugan has six personalities, He is also known as Lord Arumugam. Due to His six features, Lord Murugan can see simultaneously in the East, West, North, South, Heaven, and Patala (the netherworld).
Vaikasi Visakam Date 2023
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Visakam Nakshathram Begins – 06:53 AM on Jun 02, 2023
Visakam Nakshathram Ends – 06:16 AM on Jun 03, 2023
Rituals of Vaikasi Visakam
- On this day, temples conduct special Poojas and rituals and offer “Prasadams” to their devotees.
- A group of scholars and priests perform Kukuta Homa, one of the Homas (a sacred ritual in which fire is invoked and God is appeased through meditation).
- Devotees often carry milk pots known as “Pal Kudam” to perform Abishekam for the deity. “Pal Abishekam”, or divine bath with milk which is performed on the Lord’s idol, is said to have positive powers.
- Devotees gather in the temples from early morning to witness special “Pooja” and participate in all special rituals.
- Additionally, many devotees would walk a considerable distance from their homes to the temple.
- Along with the devotees, the temple chariot would be taken in a grand procession through the streets.
Significance of Vaikasi Visakam
Lord Muruga was primarily incarnated to destroy the three Asuras, Soorapadman, Singamuhan, and Tarakan, who were malevolent. As a result of their arduous penance, the Asuras obtained immense favours and boons that made them invincible. Only a special force as powerful as Lord Shiva and born from the Almighty can annihilate the evil Asuras, who are considered unconquerable due to the special boon conferred by Lord Shiva as the result of their years of devotion and meditation. Lord Muruga is the combined power of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, as he was created from the third eye of Lord Shiva and then fused with the Goddess. Lord Muruga also receives the formidable “Vel” from his mother as a special weapon. It is an amulet that destroys evil and protects its wearer from life’s challenges. Thus, Lord Muruga not only acquires the power of Lord Shiva, but also invokes the special weapons and abilities of his mother, Goddess Parvati, and becomes an immaculate source of power.