Avani Avittam is a most important ritual for Brahmins. It is a ceremony of changing the sacred thread (poonal). I have been told by my father that the right name for this ritual is Upakarma and over a period of time it gets a name “Avani Avittam”. It has been observed on different date by different brahmin communities. The dates for this year are given below
Dates of Avani Avittam in 2020:
Rig veda avani avittam – 21 Aug 2021
Yajur veda avani avittam – 22 Aug 2021
Sama Veda Upakarma – 9-Sep-2021
This is the only festival for the brahmin men. Generally it comes in tamil month Aadi. Once the new moon day of Aadi month completes and full moon day comes, yajur avani avittam will come. For Rig veda brahmins it comes in the day prior to full moon day and that day should be a chathurthi day. In some occasions, both will fall on the same day. For sama veda brahmins, avani avittam will come on the day of vinayaka chaturthi or the previous day.
Even for the younger boy kids, the brahmins will put the sacred poonal which they call as “kalla poonal”. First avani avittam after the sacred thread ceremony(Upanayanam) is called as “Tala Avani Avittam” and for this occassion, for homam, we use jaggery payiru sundal and appam for neivedhyam.
General Procedure:
On this auspicious occasion bachelor brahmin gents should take head bath. They have to do “samitha-dhanam” and then do “kamokarshith” japam. After this, they can have breakfast and then again take batch and do “maha sangalpam” and then followed by change of sacred thread (poonal). Maha sangalpam meant to clean the sins of the brahmin. After this, they have to do “kandarishi tharpanam.”
For Married gents, the same will follow except “samitha-danam”. Since the gents do Rishitharpanam on that day, we have to have light tiffen for the dinner. After the gents change their sacred thread (poonal), we have to take aarathi and invite them into our home.As per tradition, those who has wear poonal has to chant “Gayathri Mantram” 144 times daily during morning, afternoon and evening. Chanting “Gayathri Mantram” removes our sorrow and make us healthier. But nowadays due to the busy schedule, gents are not able chant the mantra for 144 times.
The next day we call as “Gayathri Japam”. On that day, the gents who got their Poonal changed on Avani Avittam should take bath in the morning and should chant “Gayathri Mantram” 1008 times. We need to make Payasam on Gayathri Japam day.
Avani Avittam Recipes:
Nei Appam (Ghee Appam)
Purana Poli
Coconut Poli
Paal Poli
Paruppu Vadai
Aval (Poha) Payasam
Festival Lunch Menu
There are no hard rule for the particular item to be made for lunch. We usually make one Payasam, Sweet, Vadai, Pachadi, Curry, Koottu, Kuzhambu and Rasam. People in northern tamil nadu usually make Moor kuzhambu for all the festivals. But in our family we make Sambar. For your easy reference, I have given two menus for your reference.
Mami,all the recipes are really nice . Can u please let us know what shlokas are required to be uttered during the specific pooja's and what sort of rangoli's to be made.
I was searching some recipe and this photo invited my attention to this site. The one who is guiding others is my father (Prof.H.Padmanabhan)on the banks of River Poorna(Periyar) near Kalady. Very happy to see this and thanks for uploading this photo.
Hi, May I make a correction? Avani avittom is widely perceived today, as a day for replacing the older sacred thread with a newer one. However, the truth is that it is primarily a day of ‘Prayaschittam’. Infact, almost every vedic function will have a sacred thread replacement that takes barely a couple of minutes. What I understand on the objective of Upakarma is that in this world of ours, we have transformed from being spiritual to being a materialist which involves compromise with the daily vedic rituals and rites one needs to adhere to. The occasion seeks pardon for the non-compliance. It also begs forgiveness in slippage of moral/ ethical behaviour, if any. Yet another important activity is ‘Vidyarambham’ which is done for the young boys for whom upanayanam have been conducted within the year. The day marks the beginning of vedic studies for them. Along with that sacred thread is replaced with a newer one for all who carry out this.
Hi,
Please pardon my ignorance with this question. I would like to know if this changing of thread ceremony does it apply to a DIVORCED MAN?
Would be interesting to know.
Thanks
Sapna
Any Brahmin man whose upanayam has been done, has to do changing thread every year irrespective of their marital status. May be the thread count changes you need to check with a priest
Beautiful
explanation.admire you for knoing about all the festivals and rituals.your recipes are so easy to follow.thanks a lot .keep up the good work.
For Bachelor its 1 set of 3 strands. Married man wears 2 sets. Married man with children wear 3 sets. I’m not sure about the count Widower needs to wear
Thank You for this detailed information
I like the menu plan you have mentioned:) Nice post
Mami,all the recipes are really nice . Can u please let us know what shlokas are required to be uttered during the specific pooja's and what sort of rangoli's to be made.
thanks, the details provided are very informative, simple and useful
Thanks again
I was searching some recipe and this photo invited my attention to this site. The one who is guiding others is my father (Prof.H.Padmanabhan)on the banks of River Poorna(Periyar) near Kalady. Very happy to see this and thanks for uploading this photo.
i need the recipe of hotel sambar .
thanks for so much info along with the menu ideas..!
Pappadom is not fried for Avania Avvitam as it is treated as a tarpanam for Pittrukkal and hence like devasom no ppadom is to be fried
Appalam also not fried for avaniavittam usually make paruppu vadai because there is no puja
Very nice and useful information. Thanks a lot
Thanks for the recipes
It usually comes in the month of Avani hence Avani Avittam.
I need the Brahmin special recipe for kolkotte
Thank you for such a wonderful website
hi ,
am new to this culture can u plz giv detailed menu and puja vidhana for vadgalai iyenger’s.. thnk u
Sorry for late response. i will check and update the procedure of vadagalai iyengar soon
Hi, May I make a correction? Avani avittom is widely perceived today, as a day for replacing the older sacred thread with a newer one. However, the truth is that it is primarily a day of ‘Prayaschittam’. Infact, almost every vedic function will have a sacred thread replacement that takes barely a couple of minutes. What I understand on the objective of Upakarma is that in this world of ours, we have transformed from being spiritual to being a materialist which involves compromise with the daily vedic rituals and rites one needs to adhere to. The occasion seeks pardon for the non-compliance. It also begs forgiveness in slippage of moral/ ethical behaviour, if any. Yet another important activity is ‘Vidyarambham’ which is done for the young boys for whom upanayanam have been conducted within the year. The day marks the beginning of vedic studies for them. Along with that sacred thread is replaced with a newer one for all who carry out this.
Thanks for sharing Mahesh
Hi,
Please pardon my ignorance with this question. I would like to know if this changing of thread ceremony does it apply to a DIVORCED MAN?
Would be interesting to know.
Thanks
Sapna
Any Brahmin man whose upanayam has been done, has to do changing thread every year irrespective of their marital status. May be the thread count changes you need to check with a priest
Beautiful
explanation.admire you for knoing about all the festivals and rituals.your recipes are so easy to follow.thanks a lot .keep up the good work.
Thank you Shaila
Greatful of you can check and tell me How Many Threads for :
1.Bachelor
2.Married men
3.Widower
4.Widowers with no parents living
For Bachelor its 1 set of 3 strands. Married man wears 2 sets. Married man with children wear 3 sets. I’m not sure about the count Widower needs to wear
Can you please update dates for this year?
yes will do. thanks
Thank you!