Aadi Masam for South Indians is a grand month long festival. After Vishu or Tamil New Year in the month of April, the month of May and June are almost without any key festivals or celebrations. Come Monsoons and all gear up for Aadi Masam. So, I decided to compile a list of Aadi Masam Recipes along with the important days during the festival. It would help you to plan the festival well and organize necessary grocery etc.
The Aadi Masam (Masam refers to month in Tamil) corresponds to the Ashad or Ashadi month according to the Lunar Calender. It is the beginning of Dakshinayanam, which is auspicious to conduct all religious activities in temples but is considered inauspicious to start a new venture, conduct marriage, buy property etc.
It begins when the sun transits to Cancer Zodiac (Karkataka). This festival is also a tribute to water – which gives us life and food. The rivers, lakes etc all over Tamil Nadu are revered during Aadi Masam and are offered pooja, archana and neivedyam with prayers and hope to help them get a good yield during and post monsoons.
The festival is the onset of all the major festivals in South India that follow until Pongal next year. The temples are decorated, various processions are held, pooja, abhishekams etc are conducted and they are mostly crowded for the entire month.
Aadi Masam though auspicious for all the Gods and Goddesses, is very important, particularly for Ambal or Devi or Shakti.
While the whole month is significant, there are certain auspicious days where prasadam is made at home and the family eats an elaborate lunch on banana leaf. Needless to say, as per Brahmin traditions, we don’t consume Onion or Garlic at home, especially on the below mentioned days, Aadi Chevvai (Tuesday) and Aadi Velli (Friday) in particular.
List of Important days in Aadi Masam
- During Aadi Masam, Tuesdays and Fridays are auspicious days. Some Sweet or savory (or both) is offered as prasadam at home.
- Aadi 18 or Aadi Perukku – Falls on the 18th day of the Aadi month and is considered very auspicious for Goddess Shakti. Aadi Perukku is also called as Padinettam Perukku. Padinettam means 18 in Tamil and Perukku denotes rising of the water levels in the lakes, rivers (The River Cauvery, most importantly) ensuring good harvest and prosperity. This is the month of sowing seeds etc when it is the peak monsoon period, hoping for a good crop with Almighty’s blessings.
- On Aadi 18, Variety rice (Kalavai Sadam in Tamil) is served as prasadam. 5 types of rice varieties are cooked and offered as neivedyam. The popular choices are Lemon Rice, Tamarind Rice or Puliyodharai, Curd Rice, Sakkarai Pongal (sweet Pongal) and Ven Pongal. You can also serve Coconut Rice, Vadai etc along with this. The prasadam is offered to everyone at home as lunch.
- Aadi Krithigai is celebrated worshipping Lord Karthik or Murugan. We offer Pal Payasam and Milagu Jeera Rice as Prasadam for this auspicious occasion.
- Aadi Amavasya is the day we remember our ancestors by performing Tarpanam and giving Brahmins some dakshina. Generally, on Amavasya, we skip dinner and opt only for snack (palaharam). On Amavasya No Onion No Garlic is consumed and certain dishes like Vazhakkai Podimas, Pavakkai Pitlai with Rice is served as lunch. Pickles are not consumed in most homes so fresh thogayal (chutney) is made as side dish.
- Aadi Pooram is celebrated for Goddess Andal.
- Varalakshmi Vratham - This is a festival organized and celebrated by ladies worshipping Goddess Lakshmi by observing fast. A pooja is organized at home followed by lunch to ensure prosperity, health and wealth. Newly married couples are ideally invited and/or this pooja is organized on the occasion of their recent marriage etc. Appam is made along with Kozhukattai (sweet and savory both) as prasadam. Variety Rice is also made and served for the ladies attending the function at home.
Even though the month is inauspicious for beginning anything new, the entire month is celebrated like a big festival. Visiting temples, chanting of mantras are encouraged at home and in temples. Bhajans and other functions are also organized at homes to create a positive atmosphere and a feeling of peace.
My late MIL used to organize bhajans at home during Aadi Masam. Her Lemon Rice was quite popular among her friends who visited home.
For the purpose of convenience, I have listed down some recipes that can be tried during the month of Aadi Masam at home.
These are mainly prasadam recipes that can be cooked at home during the month long festival. Will also include some Lunch recipes that can be made and served (No Onion No Garlic recipes) during specific days so you can plan accordingly, if guests visit home.
List of Aadi Masam Recipes for Prasadam and Menu Ideas
(Click on the titles to check the detailed recipe)
(1) Recipe Ideas for Aadi Chevvai and Aadi Velli
(2) Recipes for For Aadi 18 – Variety Rice / Kalavai Sadam
Ellu Sadam (Sesame Rice)
Kovil Puliyodharai (Temple Style Tamarind Rice)
(3) Recipes for Aadi Krithigai
(4) Varalakshmi Vratham Recipes
You can try any of the above options (variety rice) and few more as listed below
Nendran Pazham Pradhaman (Kerala Banana Payasam)
Uppu Kozhukattai (Savory Rice modaks with Urad Dal filling)
Sweet Kozhukattai (Sweet Modaks with jaggery coconut filling)
Ammini Kozhukattai / Mini Kozhukkatai
(5) Amavasya Lunch Recipes for Aadi Amavasya
These are served with Steamed Rice, pickles, Curd Rice, thogayal, papadam and / or Vadai
Hope you enjoy trying these recipes and do let me know if you have any other queries or seek any further information.
Bhagavati Sharanam .. Amme Sharanam
This blog post was published in July 2018 and I have now updated the post with added information and relevant recipes.
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Vidya Narayan