Ashada is a month of the Hindu calendar that corresponds to June/July in the Gregorian calendar. It is the fourth month of the year in India’s national civil calendar, and the first of the two months that comprise the monsoon season. It is also known as Aashaadha, Aadi, Asar or Ashar. The month is named after the star Ashadha (Beta Serpentis), which is the primary star on the full moon day of this month. The month begins with the Sun’s entry into Gemini in Vedic astrology. The month is generally considered to be inauspicious for starting new ventures or activities, but it has special spiritual significance for various Hindu traditions and festivals
What is the significance?
Ashada month is a month of significance for various reasons. Some of them are:
- It marks the beginning of Dakshinayana, the six-month period when the Sun begins to trace a southward movement. Dakshinayana is a sacred period in the Vedic calendar, as it is associated with the worship of Lord Vishnu, who is believed to sleep on a cosmic serpent in the ocean of milk during this time. This period is also known as Chaturmasa, the four-month period of austerity and penance for Hindus
- It coincides with the arrival of monsoon, which brings relief from the scorching heat and drought. The rains are considered to be a blessing from the gods, especially Lord Indra, who is the god of rain and thunder. The rains also rejuvenate the earth and make it fertile for agriculture and vegetation. The monsoon season is also a time of joy and celebration for many people, who enjoy various activities such as planting rice, playing in mud, swinging on trees and eating seasonal fruits and delicacies
- It hosts various festivals and rituals that are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Parvati and other deities. Some of these festivals are Jagannath Rath Yatra, Guru Purnima, Shayani Ekadashi, Bheemana Amavasya, Bonalu, Aadi Perukku and Aadi Amavasya. These festivals celebrate various legends and events related to these deities and their devotees. They also involve various customs and practices such as fasting, worshipping, offering prayers, taking processions, making offerings and distributing prasadam (blessed food)
Important celebrations and rituals performed during this month
Some of the important celebrations and rituals performed during Ashada month are:
- Jagannath Rath Yatra: This is a festival that is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (a form of Lord Vishnu), his brother Balabhadra and his sister Subhadra. It is celebrated on the second day (Dwitiya) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of Ashada month. The festival involves taking the idols of these deities in huge wooden chariots from their temple in Puri (Odisha) to another temple called Gundicha Mandir. Thousands of devotees pull the chariots with ropes and chant the name of Lord Jagannath. The festival is also celebrated in other places such as Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Delhi, Kolkata (West Bengal) and Hyderabad (Telangana). The festival symbolizes Lord Jagannath’s annual visit to his aunt’s house along with his siblings
- Guru Purnima: This is a festival that is dedicated to Guru (teacher or spiritual master). It is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) of Ashada month. The festival involves paying respect and gratitude to one’s Guru by offering prayers, flowers, fruits, sweets and other gifts. The festival also marks the birth anniversary of Veda Vyasa, who is considered to be the Guru of all Gurus in Hindu tradition. He is credited with compiling the four Vedas (sacred scriptures), writing the Mahabharata epic and creating the Brahma Sutras (philosophical treatises). The festival also honours other Gurus such as Buddha, Mahavira, Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva and Kabir. The festival is also observed by Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs
- Shayani Ekadashi: This is a festival that is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is celebrated on the eleventh day (Ekadashi) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of Ashada month. The festival involves observing a fast and worshipping Lord Vishnu with lamps, flowers, incense, fruits, sweets and other offerings. The festival marks the beginning of Chaturmasa, the four-month period when Lord Vishnu is believed to sleep on a cosmic serpent in the ocean of milk. The festival also marks the beginning of Devshayani Ekadashi Vrat, a vow of fasting and devotion that lasts for four months. The festival symbolizes Lord Vishnu’s withdrawal from the world to rejuvenate himself and prepare for the next cycle of creation
- Bheemana Amavasya: This is a festival that is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is celebrated on the new moon day (Amavasya) of Ashada month. The festival involves making clay idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and worshipping them with lamps, flowers, incense, fruits, sweets and other offerings. The festival also involves observing a fast and tying a sacred thread or a turmeric root around one’s wrist as a symbol of protection and prosperity. The festival commemorates the legend of Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata epic, who worshipped Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on this day and obtained their blessings. The festival also commemorates the legend of a young girl who married a dead prince and brought him back to life by performing the same ritual. The festival is considered to be very auspicious and beneficial for married and unmarried women, who seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati for a virtuous husband, long life, health, wealth, happiness and prosperity
- Bonalu: This is a festival that is dedicated to Goddess Mahakali or Goddess Yellamma. It is celebrated in Telangana state, especially in Hyderabad city, during Ashada month. The festival involves offering cooked rice mixed with milk and jaggery (bonam) to the Goddess in various temples and shrines. The festival also involves taking processions of women carrying pots (ghatams) decorated with flowers, turmeric, vermilion and neem leaves on their heads. The women are accompanied by drummers, dancers and singers who perform various folk arts such as Potharaju (a male dancer who represents the brother of the Goddess), Mathamma (a female dancer who represents a devotee of the Goddess) and Rangam (an oracle who predicts the future). The festival symbolizes the gratitude and devotion of the people towards the Goddess for protecting them from diseases and calamities
- Aadi Perukku: This is a festival that is dedicated to rivers and water bodies. It is celebrated in Tamil Nadu state on the eighteenth day (Perukku) of Aadi month (Ashada month). The festival involves offering prayers and gratitude to rivers such as Cauvery, Vaigai, Tamiraparani and Thamirabarani for providing water for agriculture and livelihood. The festival also involves preparing various dishes such as rice varieties, curries, sweets and snacks and offering them to rivers as naivedya (food offering). The festival also involves performing various rituals such as bathing in rivers, wearing new clothes, applying turmeric and vermilion on one’s forehead, exchanging gifts and visiting temples. The festival symbolizes the joy and prosperity that comes from water sources
- Aadi Amavasya: This is a festival that is dedicated to ancestors (pitrs). It is celebrated in Tamil Nadu state on the new moon day (Amavasya) of Aadi month (Ashada month). The festival involves offering prayers and tarpanam (water libation) to ancestors at rivers or ponds or at home. The festival also involves preparing various dishes such as rice varieties, curries, sweets and snacks and offering them to ancestors as naivedya (food offering). The festival also involves performing various rituals such as bathing in rivers or ponds, wearing black clothes, applying sesame oil on one’s body, visiting temples and feeding crows. The festival symbolizes the respect and gratitude towards ancestors for their blessings and guidance
Scientific relations
Ashada month has some scientific relation with the natural phenomena that occur during this time of the year. Some of them are:
- Ashada month has some scientific relation with the natural phenomena that occur during this time of the year. Some of them are:
- It coincides with the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The Sun reaches its highest position in the sky on this day, which is around June 21. This marks the beginning of Dakshinayana, the southward movement of the Sun. The Sun’s rays are more direct and intense over the tropics during this period, causing high temperatures and low pressures3
- It coincides with the onset of southwest monsoon, which is the dominant feature of India’s climate. The southwest monsoon is caused by the differential heating of land and sea in summer. The land gets heated faster than the sea, creating a low pressure zone over the Indian subcontinent. The sea remains relatively cooler, creating a high pressure zone over the Indian Ocean. This pressure gradient causes moist winds to blow from the sea to the land, bringing heavy rainfall to most parts of India. The southwest monsoon has four branches: Arabian Sea branch, Bay of Bengal branch, Western Ghats branch and Eastern Ghats branch. The southwest monsoon lasts from June to September and accounts for about 75% of India’s annual rainfall
- It coincides with the El Nino phenomenon, which is a periodic warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean near the coast of Peru and Ecuador. El Nino affects the global atmospheric circulation and alters the normal patterns of wind and rainfall. El Nino usually occurs every 3 to 7 years and lasts for about a year. El Nino affects India’s monsoon by weakening or delaying it, resulting in droughts or floods in different regions. El Nino also affects other climatic phenomena such as cyclones, thunderstorms and temperature anomalies
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