Vaikasi Visakam 2023 Date
Vaikasi Visakam is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Murugan during Visakam Nakshatra in Tamil month Vaikasi. Vaikasi is the second Solar month in Tamil Calendar and Visakam is the sixteenth star out of twenty-seven stars which prevails once in a month. Vaikasi month is known as Vrishabha month and Visakam Nakshatra is known as Vishakha Nakshatra in other Hindu Calendars. Vaikasi Visakam usually falls in the month of May or June.
Tamilians not only in India but all over the globe like Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa etc. celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Muruga, who is also known as God of Courage, Wealth and Wisdom. Lord Muruga, who is also known as Kartikeya, is the younger son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and brother of Lord Ganesha. Lord Muruga, who was the General of the army of Devas, is also known by the names of Karthikeya, Skanda, Kanda, Senthil, Subramanyam, Kumaran, Saravana, Dandayudhapani, Shiva Kumara, Kartik, Shanmukha, Palaniandavar and Swaminatha. Lord Murugan has six faces and that's why he is also known as Lord Arumugam. Because of six faces, Lord Murugan can see in East, West, North, South, Heaven and Patala (netherworld) all at once. The six heads represent his 6 attributes that are- Jnana (wisdom), Vairagya (detachment), Bala (strength), Keerti (fame), Shree (wealth) and Aishwarya (divine powers). Lord Murugan was created from Lord Shiva’s power to save the world from the powerful demon Soorapadam.
He is known to have six abodes and these are :-
1. Thiruparakundram Murugan Temple
2. Tiruchendur Murugan Temple
3. Palani Murugan Temple
4. Swamimalai Murugan Temple
5. Tiruthani Murugan Temple
6. Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple
When is Vaikasi Visakam 2023? Vaikhasi Vishakam Muhurtam
Vaikasi Visakam 2023 Date - Saturday, June 03, 2023
Visakam Nakshathram Begins - 06:53 AM on Jun 02, 2023
Visakam Nakshathram Ends - 06:16 AM on Jun 03, 2023
Significance of Vaikasi Visakam:
On Vaikasi Visakam, the day when the Nakshatram Visakam coincides with the full moon or Pournami, devotees take out a procession and carry milk to Subramania temples to perform milk Abhishekam or with panchamrit to the deity. Some carry milk pots called ‘Pal Kudam’ to perform Abishekam at the temples. Many devotees also take kavadi on the day. Thousands of devotees visit Lord Muruga shrine on Vaikasi Visakam, especially at Lord Subramaniaswamy Temple at Tiruchendur and Muruga Temple at Tirupparankundram.
Muruga was born from Shiva's third eye in the form of six fire sparks. The fire sparks were immersed in a river called Saravana Poigai. Each of the six sparks became an infant. Goddess Parvati merged all the infants into one single child, and he came to be known as Muruga. For this reason, Muruga has six faces and twelve hands.
Muruga was born to destroy three demons - Soorapadman, Singamuhan, and Tarakan. The demons had great powers. Only Shiva had the power to defeat them through his third eye, from which Muruga was born.
Lord Murugan has the capability of destroying the evil forces. Lord Murugan establish dharma, provide supreme protection and wisdom to the entire world. He rides on a peacock.
The sacred day of Vaikasi Visakam is mostly celebrated with great enthusiasm at Arupadai veedu Murugan temple in Tamil Nadu. Lord Murugan holds a special significance among South Indians in India and in other parts of the world. People celebrate the day indoors, observe fast, and distribute milk and fruits. The devotees offer prayers, chant mantras. Many people even practise meditation on the day and distribute prasadam as a part of the Vaikasi Visakam's rituals.
It is believed that those, who worship Lord Murugan with full dedication and devotion, Lord Murugan provides protection to the devotees against sorrows, enemy, evil eye and black magic.
Vaikasi Visakam festival signifies that Lord Murugan will destroy the dark forces present in a person’s life in the same way he destroyed the demon Soorapadam.
Vaikasi Visakam also spelled as Vaikasi Vishaka or Vaikhasi Vishakam.
Celebration of Vaikasi Visakam at Subramanya Swami Temple in Thiruparankundram near Madurai
Thiruparankundram Temple is dedicated to Subrahmanya Swami and major celebrations take place on Vaikasi Visakam festival in this temple in Tamil Nadu. Around 50,000 - 1,00,000 people participate in this annual event.
Devotees carry pots of milk and perform abhishekam on the murti of Shanmuganathan, Goddess Valli and Goddess Devayani at the Visaka Mandapam in the temple complex.
Special abhishekams are performed on Subramanya Swamy inside the temple too.
The ten day festival which begins nine days before the Vaikasi Visakam date attracts more than 100,000 devotees.
Happy Vaikasi Visakam 2023!
