What makes it even more special is that in 2023, we get to witness Aadi Ammavasai twice in the month of Aadi - today (17th July) and 16th August.
What is Aadi Ammavasai all about?
Aadi Ammavasai is a special day to connect to your innermost self. It's the dark, or waning, phase of every lunar month, and this period is especially conducive to connecting with your Higher Self. The New Moon Day - Ammavasai - is the perfect time to reach out to your ancestors and facilitate communication. During this time ancestral souls visit the Earth.
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Best time to honour ancestors & seek their blessings
It's that time of the year again - the time to honour and remember our ancestors with Tarpanam. Indeed it is one of the most important days to perform this special ritual, as it is believed that it helps liberate our ancestors and allows them to ascend to higher planes.
How do you perform Aadi Amavasai Pooja at home?
The special priests who perform rituals at specific holy rivers or water bodies are an essential part of the traditions that have been passed down for generations.
However, Dr. Pillai suggests a simple method for ancestral rituals, or tarpanam, that can be easily performed at home during the waning Moon phases preceding Amavasya to receive the blessings of our ancestors. This method of tarpanam is an efficient and convenient way to connect to our lineage and honour our ancestors.
- Place a teaspoon of a mixture of black sesame seeds and rice, a coin, and a few small pieces of darba grass into the palm of your right hand.
- Sprinkle a few drops of water over the offerings.
- Make a heartfelt prayer to your ancestors and pour the water over the offerings calling upon six generations of dead ancestors on your father’s side and then of your mother’s side to accept your offering; ask them to be healed, be at peace, and to not return to Earth, and to cross into the light.
- Ask your ancestors to send you their blessings.
- Pour the rest of the water to wash off the offerings completely.
Astrological Significance of Aadi Ammavasai
- According to Vishnu Dharma Shastra, the New Moon Day is the ideal time to offer prayers to your ancestors, as they have the power to elevate your status and bless you with success and good fortune.
- Aadi Ammavasai is the first New Moon that occurs when the Sun moves in the southward direction called Dakshinayan, and enters the zodiac sign Cancer, the first Moksha Trikona sign. Among the 4 Purusha Arthas, which are the goals of our human experience, Moksha is also called Vimoksha, Vimukti, and Mukti, which are liberation, release, and enlightenment.
- According to sacred texts, the Sun (Atma Karaka – represents the soul and father) and the Moon (Mano Karaka- represents the mind and mother) play an important role in determining ancestors’ blessings. Therefore, the Sun and Moon coming together in Cancer on Aadi New Moon Day make it an auspicious day for appeasing ancestors and performing rituals to relieve their suffering and liberate them.
- On the New Moon Day in the month of Aadi, the Sun and Moon will be in the Star Ashlesha, which makes it the ideal time to appease your ancestors and remove all obstacles that hinder you from attracting fortune and wealth.