Amavasai
அமாவாசை
Amavasai is the highly sacred new moon day dedicated to expressing profound gratitude to our ancestors through Tarpanam, fasting, and feeding the needy.
Observance Dates & Timeline
2018 Occurrences
Times and tithi lines follow the site Panchangam engine for that civil day when data exists.
Spiritual Festival Sequence
Tamil Nadu Spiritual Experience
What is Amavasai?
Amavasai is the New Moon day in the traditional Hindu calendar, occurring when the moon is perfectly aligned between the Earth and the Sun, rendering it completely invisible in the night sky. Astrologically and spiritually, it is a day of profound introspection, considered highly potent for spiritual practices rather than beginning worldly, material ventures.
Instead of focusing on external gains, Amavasai directs human consciousness inward and backward—towards our deep roots, our lineage, and the unseen spiritual realms. It is a day specifically reserved for expressing eternal gratitude and reflecting on the impermanence of physical life.
Honoring Ancestors (Pitru Tarpanam)
The core purpose of observing Amavasai is to honor and pay heartfelt homage to one's ancestors (Pitrus). According to Hindu scriptures, on this dark night, the souls of the departed are permitted to visit the earthly realm to see their descendants. Performing 'Tarpanam'—a sacred ritual offering of black sesame seeds and water—is believed to quench their spiritual thirst and hunger.
Hinduism profoundly teaches that our current physical body, wealth, and knowledge are direct gifts from our lineage. Neglecting this fundamental duty of gratitude is believed to incur 'Pitru Dosha' (ancestral displeasure), bringing obstacles into one's life. Conversely, satisfying the ancestors on Amavasai ensures their protective blessings for the entire family's prosperity and peace.
Traditions in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, the Amavasai days falling in the Tamil months of Thai (Jan-Feb), Aadi (Jul-Aug), and the Mahalaya Paksha (Sept-Oct) are considered supremely auspicious. On these specific days, millions of devotees gather at sacred water bodies like the ocean at Rameswaram, Kanyakumari, or riverbanks like the Amma Mandapam in Srirangam to perform rituals led by priests.
At home, families meticulously clean the house and prepare a grand vegetarian feast featuring the favorite dishes of their departed loved ones. This food is reverently offered on a banana leaf before God and the ancestors. A very crucial part of the tradition involves feeding crows before anyone in the family eats, as crows are symbolically considered the messengers of the ancestors.
Fasting and Annadanam
A strict dietary discipline is observed on Amavasai. Families completely abstain from non-vegetarian food, onions, and garlic. Those performing the Tarpanam typically maintain a strict fast, consuming absolutely nothing until the sacred offerings to the ancestors are fully completed.
Furthermore, performing 'Annadanam' (the donation of food) to the poor, orphans, or physically challenged individuals on Amavasai is considered one of the highest forms of Karma Yoga. Feeding the hungry on this day is said to directly please the ancestors and multiply one's spiritual merits manifold.