Calendrical Specials

महामाघोत्सवः

mahāmaghotsavaḥ

RareDaysTamilnaduTempleFestivalsCombinations

कुम्भराशौ सूर्ये सति, खे विपरीतदिशि मघासु च चन्द्रमसि सति पर्वेदम्।

एतादृशे दिने दाक्षायणी दक्षेण लब्धा। गुहेन शिवायोपदिष्टश्च प्रणवः। वराहेण पृथिवी चोद्धृता।

कुम्भघोणक्षेत्रे स्नानस्य विशेषः। शिवानुग्रहेण तत्र सर्वा अपि नद्यः पापनिवृत्त्याय आयन्ति॥
---कुम्भघोण-माहात्म्ये ब्रह्म-प्रार्थना

The rare, once-in-twelve-years coincidence of guru (Jupiter) transiting siMha rAshi with the annually recurring combination of sUrya (the Sun) in kumbha rAshi and candra (the Moon) in maghA nakShatra – the latter combination alone recurs every year as mAci~magham (kumbha-mAghOtsavaH). Celebrated with a mahA-snAnam (great ritual bath) at the Mahamaham tank in kumbhaghONa (Kumbakonam), traditionally believed to draw together the waters of India’s sacred rivers on this day. Prior occurrences: 1992, 2004, 2016; next occurrence: 2028.

Names

Sanskrit
महामाघोत्सवः
Tamil
makāmakam

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