Karthika Masam - The Most Auspicious and Sacred Month.

The ongoing Karthika Masam is the most auspicious and sacred month for us. This year Karthika Masam started on 8th November and would end on 6th December. It is a month-long festival, starting just after Deepavali Amavasya (new moon) when both Lord Shiva and Maha Vishnu are worshipped and prayed. It is the most auspicious and sacred month for both Shaiva and Vaishnava followers. It is believed that offering prayers to "Shivakesavas" particularly in this month brings luck and prosperity. Karthika Masam is especially the favourite month of Lord Shiva amongst all other months.

Devotees observe Karthika Masa Vratham and perform various customs and rituals. It is believed that following these rituals leads them to a good life and attain moksha. Upavasam (fasting) is performed on every Monday. Dhanams (charity) like vastradhanam (clothes), swarnadhanam (gold), ghodhanam (cows), etc., would yield good results for the individual and his family.

Bathing in rivers in Karthika Masam is not only considered holy but also has significant scientific and medical benefits. Ekadasi fasting in Karthika Masam is a common procedure in every household. Lord Vishnu goes to sleep on Ashada Shuddha Ekadasi and wakes up on the Karthika Shuddha Ekadasi in ksheeraSamudra. People fast whole day on Shuddha Ekadasi and break their fast next day offering food and clothes to a Brahmin or Temple Priest. Throughout Karthika Masam and especially on Karthika Shuddha Ekadasi and Karthika Pournami, women offer prayers and light diyas at their houses at the Pooja (worship) places and at their Tulasi plants (Tulasi Kotas) and at Temples and at Usiri (Gooseberry/Amla) trees. It is very auspicious to perform Sri Sathyanarayanswamy Vratham on Karthika Pournami day. This year Karthika Pournami is on coming Friday, 23rd November. And on these special days, 365 Vatthula (cotton wick) diyas are lit by both women and men, each wick representing a bright day of the ensuing year. Tulasi plants are available at every house of Hindus but as Usiri trees are not commonly available, branches of Usiri tree with fruits are sold in the market. In the attached pictures you can see diyas (oil lamps) lit at Tulasi plants and Usiri trees, and at Tulasi plants and Usiri branches placed together.

These lamps lit during Karthika Masam are called Karthika Deepalu. These oil lamps lit in large numbers at home and in countless numbers at Temples create an amazing sight and every house and Temple gleams vibrantly with these diyas in this holy month, creating a very pleasant and happy atmosphere.

Karthika Masam helps devotees to understand and embrace the thought that there is no difference between Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva and that we attain bliss and blessings when we worship them in one form.

Another great tradition followed in this month in the Telugu speaking States, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh is Vanabhojanam. Vanabhojanam means having food amidst trees, in a forest or in an orchard. It is normally a day-long picnic with family and relatives or a whole community. This is because our ancestors conceived nature as God and always treated it with respect. And a place having an Usiri/Amla tree or trees is preferred because it is believed that Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi prefer to reside under Usiri trees during Karthika Masam. This is the reason why people during the month of Karthika Masam light lamps and place them at the Usiri/Amla tree, and worship. It’s said, ‘Vruksho Rakshati Rakshitaha’, meaning, ‘One who protects the trees, is protected’. Another reason for the worship of Usiri is because it is considered to be a saviour of humanity because its fruits help in gaining immunity and keep illness at a distance.

My next blog post would be on our Vanabhojanam of this year, which we celebrated with twenty family members at a large Mango grove, three days ago on 18th November.