- New moon of Aadi month
- July or August
- Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Tamils worldwide
Where it began
Amavasai is the new moon. Hindu tradition holds that the new moon is a good time to remember those who came before. Of all the new moons, those of Aadi and Thai are held most special.
The rite is called tharpanam: water with black sesame seeds is offered to the ancestors with their names. It is a way of saying thank you and asking for their blessing on the family.
How it grew over time
Ancient times
Remembering ancestors with water and food offerings is an old custom in Hindu homes.
Medieval period
Sea and river shores near temples became places for these prayers.
Today
Large crowds gather at Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and river ghats.
How it is celebrated in different places
Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
Families bathe in the Agni Theertham sea and perform rites with priests.
Kanyakumari
Prayers are offered where the three seas meet.
Kerala
Called Karkidaka Vavu, families perform Bali at the beach and riverbanks, like at Aluva and Varkala.
Sri Lanka and Malaysia
Tamil families offer prayers at temples and seashores.
Aadi Amavasai today
Families wake early and go to a river, sea or temple tank. With a priest, they offer water and sesame and say their ancestors' names. Many feed cows, crows and the poor as part of the day.
At home, a simple vegetarian meal is cooked, and a portion is set aside for crows, which are seen as messengers of the ancestors.
