Devotees change sacred threads for Avani Avittam in Tiruchirappalli

Devotees in Tiruchirappalli celebrated Avani Avittam by changing their sacred threads. The rituals, observed on the full moon day of the Avani month, took place at the Cauvery riverbank and included prayers and the chanting of Gayatri mantras.

Avani Avittam, an important Hindu religious observance, was marked across Tiruchirappalli on Thursday with traditional rituals, prayers and the changing of sacred threads. The festival is observed on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Avani.

Rituals and Participants

On the day of the Avittam star, people who have traditionally undergone Upanayanam and Gayatri Upadesam, including members of Brahmin, Viswakarma and Chettiar communities, take part in the ritual.

As part of the ceremony, devotees remove their old sacred threads and wear new ones. The ritual is traditionally performed near rivers or other water bodies. In Tiruchirappalli, members of different Hindu communities gathered at the Cauvery riverbank, a private marriage hall in Srirangam and gurukuls for the ceremony.

The Sacred Thread Tradition

They performed tarpanam for the Devas and Rishis, offered prayers and chanted Gayatri mantras. According to tradition, unmarried men wear one sacred thread, while married men wear two. Married men whose fathers have passed away wear three sacred threads.

Spiritual Significance

The day is also considered important for the study of the Vedas. Many devotees visited teachers and scholars to begin or continue learning Vedic recitations and scriptures. On this day, devotees perform Rishi Tharpanam to honour the ancient sages and express their gratitude for the Vedic knowledge they passed down through generations.

Beliefs and Mantras

The ritual of chanting mantras and replacing the old sacred thread with a new one is traditionally believed to bring strength and dignity to Brahmins. Devotees also recite the Gayatri Mantra, a sacred hymn dedicated to Savitr, the Sun deity mentioned in the Rig Veda. Chanting it 1,008 times is believed to cleanse one of accumulated sins and bring purity and peace to the mind. (ANI)

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