Adi Perukku

An article by Sri S. Kannan :

Come the month of Adi heralding the advent of Dhashinaayana punya kaalam (the dark six months or Pitr yaanam) hindus in the south prepare for the oncoming festivals starting with Sri Varalaksmi pooja, Upakarmam, Ganesh chaturti, Gokulashtami, Navarathri, Deepavali, Karthigai, and so on.  It appears strange that all these festivals dedicated to the various Devas occur during the six month period considered to be that of the Pitrs.

Be it as it may, I wanted to share something about Adi Perukku which went by a couple of days back.  Today it has lost its old charm and relevance of people congregating on river banks with their families and having a community feast after worshipping the river goddess; and is confined to partaking of chitraannam (rice of various forms like coconut rice, tamarind rice and so on) at home watching the indomitable TV.  May be the newly weds would be called to the girl's parent's house for a feast on the occasion and some Adi seer (gifts) are given to the girl and her husband.

Adi Perukku is a festival to welcome and celebrate the advent of new flood waters flowing into the rivers (south Indian of course) triggerred by the opening of the sluices of the dams which start overflowing with the onset of the monsoon in Karnataka and Kerala. Tamil Nadu being in the rain shadow region does not get any rains during this period and hence the farmers eagerly look forward to the opening of dam gates so that the rivers that had gone bone dry in the summer months get their thirst quenched and so do the parched fields fed by them.  The 18th day of Adi is significant for the number 18.  The number 18 has a special significance to the Hindus.  There are 18 Puranas., 18 siddars, 18 holy steps in Sabari mala, 18 herbs that go to make the kaya kalpa (to keep the body from decay) and so on. Normally the blessing would be to get all the 16 riches and live a great life (Pathinaarum petru peru vazhvu vaazhga) and how does 18 figure in this?

Adi Perukku (perukku means overflowing) is significant for the blessings to over flow in the coming months which as seen earlier will provide us an opportunity to rendeavous with God in His forms as Maha lakshmi, Ganapathi, Krishna and so on. We know that there are 8 aishwaryas (fortunes) represented by 8 forms of Lakshmi (Aadhi, Vijaya, Vidhya, Dhana, Dhanya, Veera, Santhaana and Maha Lakshmi). They represent Ichhaa, Gnaana and Kriyaa sakthis, Aadhi and Maha lakshmi forms representing Ichaa sakthi, Vidhya, Dhana and Dhaanya lakshmi representing Gnana and Vijaya, Veera and Santhaana lakshmi representing kriya sakthi. These fortunes are endowed automatically to one who has raised himself above the mundane cravings through yogic practices.  The attainment of these fortunes is depicted by 8 primary Siddhis (Anima, Laghima, Garima, Mahima, Ishithvam, Vasihitvam and Praapti) and 10 secondary siddhis like seeing and hearing things far away, transporting the body through air and ether, having a one to one with Gods, and so on. Only one who has attained these 8 Aishwaryas and 18 Siddhis is considered to be Ishwara.  So the blessings on the day of the new floods is that one should elevate oneself to the level of Ishwara in this birth itself. 

How to attain these in this material world is the next question.  The solution given by our vedhas is simple.  When the self is attained everything is attained and the only way to attain the self is to search inwards and expand the small i to the universal I by dropping the ego which ties us to the body and mind. When this is accomplished there is nothing but love - not for one's limited self but for the universal self.  When the flood gates of universal love is opened, the parched river and land representing our life on this earth which had dried up due to intense heat from hate, envy, jealousy, anger, lust and delusion (the six bad qualities) eagerly laps up the gushing waters and welcomes the new shoot of blades of grass signifying new life