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A month of sanctity
Women lighting 'deepams' at the Ramalingeswara temple in Visakhapatnam during Kartika Masam.--Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam
Kartika masam, which concludes this Sunday, is considered very auspicious for the Hindus. It is very sacred to both the Saivites and Vaishnavites and the devotees indulge in month-long prayers to the gods and believe they would ward off all the sins.
"There is no month to match Kartika, no God equal to Lord Vishnu, no science on par with the Vedas and no water like the Ganga," say the puranas. It is also significant that Lord Ayyappa who is said to be the son born to Vishnu (Mohini) and Siva is worshipped by many during the month as it pleases both the gods.
People in Visakhapatnam region observe strict austerities during the month. They wake up early in the morning, take bath and visit temples. On Mondays, they invariably visit Siva temples and one can find long queues to offer worship at these shrines. Some temples sell season tickets for daily rituals and Monday abhishekams.
Even those obsessed with non-vegetarian food refrain from taking meat during the entire month and this is, perhaps, the reason why vegetables are found costlier during this period.
Among the important festivals during the month are Kartika Poornima when special pujas are held and Poornima Dhyanam or meditation is performed, and Kartika Ekadasi when devotees go on fast and break it on the next day known as Ksheerabdi Dwadasi. On the Dwadasi day, a new Tulsi plant along with a tender branch of amla tree is worshipped. Puja to Goddess Lakshmi with offerings in coins is performed on the occasion.
Another practice is the lighting of lamps and leaving them in the river on Poornima night and Amavasya morning in the month. Those living close to rivers perform the ritual on a daily basis. Bathing in the river is considered very sacred and the devotees during the month make it a point to take a bath before sunrise and after sunset, and offer prayers to keep both the body and mind pure and healthy.
B. PRABHAKARA SARMA
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