Significance of Masi Makam

Shiva Parvati With Ganesha

Today 21/02/2008 is Masi Makam

Our father Shri N.Nataraj was born on the Masi Makkam day in 1901, the significance of Masi Makkam is posted for your information, the english date of birth of father is 04th March 1901, it is said that a person born in the Maka Nakshtra will rule the world, what ever may be the significance our father ruled a small empire called the ICC in those days and provided employment to nearly 2500 people, we are told during those days any body walking on the street was offered a job in the above named comapany. We shall be posting something significant on the 4th March 08. Father and mother visited Kumbakonam in 1956 for the Masi Makam festival there and had holy dip in the Maha Makam tank.

Significance of Masi Makam

Among the many Valipaaduhal to the "God as Siva'' coming in each month of a year, and observed by the Tamils Saivites in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere, the one which falls in the Tamil month of Masi (13th of February to 14th of March) is the “Masi Maham”, which is sacred to God Siva. Maham is the tenth star (natchaththiram = constellation) among the twenty seven stars in the Hindu astrological system. The Maham natchaththiram which falls in the month of Masi very often in conjunction with the full moon day (Mulu Nilaa = Paurnami), is taken as the “Masi Maham” Valipaadu day. The “Masi Maham” is essentially a day of Siva Valipaadu as confirmed by the Koyil Puranam - a Tamil treatise (dating thirteenth century) on Chidambaram the holiest Siva Shrine in Tamil Nadu.

Inscriptions of the Madras Presidency – by V.Rangacharya,

Masi Maham thus has been an annual festival in the Tamil month of Masi. But once in every twelve years - in addition to the full moon being in conjunction with the Maham natchaththiram in the month of Masi, the moving of the planet Jupiter into the Singa Rasi too takes place simultaneously. The Masi Maham which comes with this astronomical combination is called the Maha Maham and celebrated especially in Kumbakonam at Adi Kumbeswaran temple in a very big way. There are two theerththams (tanks) at this temple. One tank is called Maha Maham tank while the other is called as Pottramarai tank. The Tamil Saiva Saint Thirugnanasambanthar on his pilgrimage to the holy shrines in Tamil Nadu went to this temple - known as Kudanthai Kaaronam temple during his time - (Kumbeswaran Siva Temple) in Kumbakonam, and in describing his vist to this temple Saint Poet Seikkeelar in his Tamil religious treatise on 63 Tamil Saiva Saints - namely the Periyapuranam praises the big theerththam therein, and mentions having a sacred bath or dip in same is held as sacred as having a bath in the holy river Gangai on this Maha Maham day which is as follows: “Poomaruvum Gangai muthat punithamaam perun theerththam Ma Maham thaan aaduthatku vanthu vali padum Koil”

After Ganges the best teertha Snana(Bathing)is Mahamaha Snana at Maha Makam tank in Kumbakonam