The new moon day in Aadi month is celebrated as ‘aadi pooram.’ The day is also celebrated as the birthday of Aandal – Saint Poet who wrote Tiruppaavai and is also considered as a manifestation of the mother Goddess. Many people celebrate Aadi as the month of the Goddess and women partake in several rituals and ceremonies during this month. The 10-day Aadi Mulaikottu festival at Madurai attracts huge crowds. The important event during the festival is the procession of Amman Farmers start the new agriculture season during the Aadi month Aadi Pooram festival is celebrated in all Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu, some parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh in Aadi month (July – August) as per Tamil calendar. Aadi Pooram 2010 date is August 12. It is celebrated on the day of Puram nakshatram in Aadi Masam.
In 2010, Aadi Pooram or Andal Jayanthi falls on Thursday but when it falls on Friday it is considered highly auspicious and meritorious. Aadi Pooram is celebrated with much gusto in Madurai Meenakshi temple, Melmaruvathur Adhiparasakthi Temple, Srivilliputtur Andal Temple, Tirunelveli, Vedaranyam temple, and other temples in Tiruvadaimarudhur, Mayavaram, Srivanjiyam and Tiruvannamalai.
According to the legend : It was said that goddess Lakshmi took Human form on this day . A Vaishavite saint named , Periyalwar in Srivalliputar , prayed to Goddess Lakshmi that he had no children …One day morning when Periyalwar was ploughing his field , he found a beautiful child near the Tulasi plant . He took the child home and named her as Andal , and it was on a Pooram star day in the month of Aadi . Therefore this day is celebrated as the birthday of Aandal.
There is one more famous story realted to the life of Aandal , which goes like this : Everyday Periyalwar used to tie garland to Lord Vishnu and offer that to Lord. Aandal will wear the garland everyday before wearing to Lord Vishnu , which was not know to her father …One day he found this and he made a new garland and took it to the temple , after doing all rituals and decoration to Lord Vishnu , he offered this new garland to Lord. But this new garland fell off …Inspite of several attempts , Periyalwar was unable to offer the Garland to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu , he himself came before periyalwar and told that he want to have only the garland which Aandal wored ..and he told him that she is none other than Goddess Lakshmi .
This Aadi pooram is celebrated in grand manner in Srivalliputur , Srirangam and in many other places and it is celebrated for 10 days . In Temples , all women offer Glass bangles to goddess and those bangles are distributed to all the ladies.