Angalamman Festival - 23 Feb 2023 | History | Download Pics, Images, and wallpapers

India being a land of cultural diversity and religion celebrates hundreds of festivals in the entire year. Angalamman Festival is one such festival celebrated in the southernmost state of the nation Tamil Nadu. It is a festival observed by the devotees of Angalamman viewed as the fierce guardian god, in the Angalamman temple. Other amusing things related to this fest you certainly can’t miss it discussed here.

Introduction of Information about Angalamman Festival

The center of Angalamman Festival is one of the non-Vedic deity Ankālamma worshiped by the Tamilians and Telugu people. According to the belief, goddess Ankālamma is the incarnation of Goddess Shakti. Unlike many goddesses, the form of goddess Ankālamma is not tranquil but fierce and regarded as the mother of all. 

Moreover, the Angalamman Festival observance takes place annually starting after the celebration of Maha Shivratri. It is a Tamilian festival which as per Tamilian month fall on the Maasi Amavasya. The celebration includes a series of processions which runs throughout in February and March.

All the rituals related to the festival takes place in her temple located in the Kaveripattnam in the northern district of Tamil Nadu. However, there are many temples dedicated to her, and all of them traditionally observe the Angalamman Festival. Among the vital function in the Angalamman Festival, "Mayana Kollai" tops all of them.

History of Angalamman Festival

The observance of the fest was occurring for thousands of years. The history of the fest has a mythological story related to it that you would love to know. It was the time when Shiva got cursed by Brahma for beheading his one out of five head. As a result of the curse, he started wandering everywhere around on earth. 

Moreover, the effect curse also made him take the Brahma head anywhere as it gets attached to his hand. It also caused him to remain hunger ridden as half of the food he fetches by begging eats that Brahma’s head. It made his life miserable which Parvati, his wife makes very upset. She goes to Lord Vishnu and asks him to suggest any solution to release her husband.

Lord Vishnu ask her to do some tasks that would free Shiva from that head and the curse as well. Parvati does as Lord Vishnu told her to do and ultimately Shiva got the relief. But, as the head detached from Shiva's hand, it attached itself with Parvati’s hand. Meanwhile, Parvati started dancing, but when she realized what happened, she turned into her aggressive form. Ultimately, she crushed that head with her right feet. That form of Parvati named as Ankālamma whose worship performed on the arrival of this festival.   

       

How Angalamman Festival celebrated?

Since this festival dedicated to the Hindu deity, so various rituals occur. If you are coming across it for the first time here is an idea of how it celebrates. These rituals taking place on its occasion is to appease goddess Ankālamma. Some of the rituals include piercing of lemons on their torsos or piercing iron rods across their cheeks. Moreover, all these rituals may seem bizarre to you, but it’s a devotee way of showing their devotion.   

 

What do people do on Angalamman Festival ?

Over thousands of people gathered at the Ankālamma temple on this festival. People from south Indian states come to visit the temples and participate in this fest. They worship the goddess and perform rituals to please her. People say that what appease their deity the most is the blood. For that matter, there is a ritual of sacrificing animals during this festival procession. 

Moreover, if ever you get the time to visit during the fest you will amuse to see the devotees paint their body with different colors. 

Some Images of Angalamman Festival