Amavasya, in Sanskrit, means the lunar phase of the New Moon. It is usually translated as ‘new moon’ or ‘no moon’ in the English language.

Amavasya day is auspicious for the worship of ancestors, with Pooja and fasting being observed by Hindus all over India. In the 18th century, even High Court judges in India used to observe a holiday on Amavasya before the British declared Sundays to be off.

Amavasya night is of great importance to tantrics and healers who work with magical spells. The “moonless” night serves as a gateway or portal to help them connect with spirits and souls who can assist them in their endeavors. Some people do not even step out of home on this night. Others observe a strict fast to ward off evil spirits and worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali to seek protection from harm.

There are three very powerful New Moon days to offer Shradh/Pitru Tarpanam (ancestral rituals), and Aadi Amavasai is one of them. Aadi month is the fourth in the Tamil calendar. Tarpanam is a ritual to honor our ancestors and receive their blessings. 

Significance of Aadi Amavasai 

The month of Aadi has great significance in Tamil culture. It is said to be the month when divine forces bless the earth. It is a month of worship, meditation, and fasting. Throughout Tamil Nadu, temples are also usually closed to the public during Aadi month. There will be minimal religious activities so that the temple priests can focus on the task of recharging the energies of their temples and the deities within them.

Astrologically, during Amavasai, the Sun and the Moon occupy the same sign. The Sun represents your father and your soul, and the Moon signifies your mother and your spirit. The reason for Aadi Amavasai’s greater importance is that the Sun and the Moon will be in the sign of the Moon, Cancer.

It is a widely prevalent belief among Hindus that on Aadi Amavasai day, spirits tend to be more willing to accept their offerings and become satisfied when their descendants perform tarpanam for them. Offering Pitru Tarpanam for ancestors on this holy day helps their souls to attain Moksha or salvation and thereby enables us to receive their blessings. It is also held that during Aadi month, the Sun begins its movement towards the South, and this is called ‘Dakshinayana’. Aadi Amavasai, being the first New Moon day during Dakshinayana, is said to be highly auspicious for performing Tarpanam rituals. It can bless you with happiness, prosperity, good health, and wealth. It can also free you from negative karma.

The Garuda Purana says that offering ancestors sesame seeds and water on this day makes them happy, and their blessings will ensure success, longevity, relief from debt progeny, and destruction of enemies.

The Myth behind Aadi Amavasai

The Hindu epic, Mahabharata, says that every human soul owes Lord Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu three major debts. One of them is Pitru Rin, or the debt to one’s ancestors. Aadi Amavasai is a debt owed to Brahma, and it can be cleared only by performing Pitru Tarpanam for ancestors. The deities for the ancestors or Pitrus are Vasu, Rudra, and Aditya. They are invoked by chanting mantras so that our offerings reach our ancestors. The deities are believed to transport the food called ‘swadha’ to the Pitrus, who accept it with satisfaction.

Aadi Amavasai Rituals

The ideal place to perform this ritual is near natural water bodies. One should take a dip in a sacred water source. According to Hindu beliefs, this helps us to remove any impurities before starting the Tarpanam Pooja. Many devotees assemble at the Agni Theertham in Rameshwaram on this day, as it is considered to be a sacred spot that is very suitable for such rituals.

Triveni Sangamam in Kanyakumari and various holy Ghats on the banks of River Cauvery are some of the other places that are considered very sacred to perform Tarpanam. We can also undertake a partial fast by eating only a single meal on this day as a way to honor our ancestors.

Aadi Amavasya 2021 or Aadi Amavasya 2021 date is August 8.