Aadi Pooram 2022 – Date, Timings, How to pray

Aadi Pooram is the day when people do “valaikappu” (baby shower) for amman. This festival is celebrated with great festive vibes in all Shakthi temples. I got to know about this festival only after I got married. When we were in Chennai (2011), I saw enormous crowd at Gunalamman temple in Madipakkam on one random day. When enquired, the poojari at the temple was surprised that I did not know a thing about “Adi Pooram”. He then told me that that is the day when people do valikappu for amman. People offer glass bangles for the pooja and doing so removes problems around marriage and fertility. So, I too offered a dozen glass bangles to Goddess Gunalamman.

If your prayers are for safe childbirth, you can offer glass bangles of baby/kids size and if your prayers are for getting hitched, you can offer the adult sizes. While you can offer bangles of any colour, it is best to avoid black and instead go for auspicious colours like red, maroon, yellow, and green. The glass bangles offered by the people are then made into a glarland and offered to the goddess. It is such a beholding sight to see amman getting decked and dressed in rows and rows of colourful, glittering glass bangles.

These bangles are then distributed to the devotees the next day. Ladies can wear them and it feels really positive and blessed to wear the bangles to were offered to the Goddess.

Aadi Pooram – Date 2022

Aadi Pooram falls on August 1, 2022[Monday] this year.

Aadi Pooram – How to pray at home

1. Clean the altar.
2. Place the picture of any Shakthi (Parvathi Devi, Kamatshi Amman, Mariamman, Om Shakthi)
3. Apply chandan and kumkum for her picture or idol.
4. Offer her glass bangles in a plate or if you know, you can make a bangle garland and adorn her with it.
5. Offer Prasad like Sweet Pongal, Kesari, Payasam or any sweet. If you don’t have time, offer fruits.
6. Offer betel leaves and paaku.
7. Light a dhiya.
8. Burn dasangam powder, sambhrani, or any dhoop.
9. Chant any devi mantra like Abirami Andhadhi, Mangala Roopini, raksha raksha jegan matha, Lalitha Navarathina Malai or anything that you know.
10. Pray fervently.
11. End the pooja with karpoor aarthi.