Masi Magam is an important festival for Hindus in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala. The festival occurs in the Tamil Month of Masi (February – March) on the day of Poornima or the full moon. Magam is one of the 27 stars or constellations in the astrological system. Magam star in Masi month usually falls on Poornima or full moon day. It is a very auspicious day across South India.
On Masi Magam, people bathe in holy rivers as this is believed to eliminate all their sins and bad karma and bring Moksha or salvation. Once in 12 years, Jupiter enters the Simha or Leo constellation. This is celebrated as Maha Magam. Masi Magam is an ideal day to receive blessings from the ancestors by taking a dip in sacred water bodies.
Significance of Masi Magam
Masi magam is a very powerful Full Moon day as the Moon aligns with Magha, the birth star of kings and ancestors. It comes only once a year. On this day, heavenly beings are said to descend to earth. Masi Magam signifies abundance and prosperity due to the association with the Full Moon and the Magha star. It can bestow power and energy. It is also a good time to eliminate the ego.
Legends behind Masi Magam
There are many legends about Masi Magam. Each temple has its own tale for the occasion. One legend is about Shiva and King Vallala of Tiruvannamalai. The king was an ardent devotee of Shiva. His one great sorrow was that he had no progeny. Such was his devotion to Shiva that Shiva took pity on him and appeared before him as a small boy and made a promise that he would perform the king’s last rites when he died.
The king passed away on the day of Masi Magam. Shiva kept his promise to the king by performing his last rites. Shiva also blessed the king that whoever had a bath in the sea during Masi Magam would attain Moksha. The belief is that every year Shiva comes to the seashore to perform the last rites of King Vallala.
Another legend is about Brahma and Shiva. It says that when Brahma heard of Shiva’s plan to recreate the universe after its annihilation, he requested Shiva to begin the process from Kumbakonam (a holy temple city in Tamil Nadu). Shiva told Brahma to fill a pot or kumbha with Amrit (nectar) and the source energy to recreate the world and keep it on the top of Mount Meru. The pot was supposedly found on the Poornima of Masi month, and the recreation of the universe began on this day from Kumbakonam.
Since Masi Magam is associated with the recreation of the universe, this day is also considered ideal to begin new things. It brings new hopes and removes negativity from devotees’ lives.
Masi Magam Rituals
On the day of Masi Magam, the idols of deities are taken to the seashore or sacred ponds and given a bath. This ritual is called Theerthavari or holy bath ceremony. Processions from different temples make their way to the seashore with the idols of Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti. Priests perform Poojas and other rituals at the seashore. Thousands of devotees gather to offer prayers. The idols are given a bath in the sea, pond, or lake according to traditional rituals. Some temples also perform Gaja-Pooja (elephant worship) and Ashwa Pooja (horse worship). The devotees then take a dip in the sea as they believe that the holy waters will wash away all the sins accumulated over 7 lifetimes. It can also remove Pitru Dosha and earn them the blessings of their ancestors, as the Magha star is the star of ancestors. It is also a good day to perform remedies for Kaala Sarpa Dosha as well as Rahu and Ketu afflictions.
Maha Maham is celebrated grandly at the Adi Kumbeswaran temple in Kumbakonam. There is a sacred tank here, which is called Maha Maham. At this temple, the energies of the temple and the temple tank are greatly enhanced due to the influence of the Magha Full Moon. The waters of the holiest rivers merge to energize the holy dip. It is said that all the deities, Rishis, Siddhas, other celestials, and ancestors congregate at the Kumbakonam sacred temple tank in the ethereal form during the Theerthavari to become re-energized. This ancient spot is also believed to be the place where the human species originated.
