Aadi Krithigai.

• Aadi Krithigai is an important festival celebrated in the Tamil month of Adi or Aadi. In 2022, the date of Aadi Krithigai is July 23.
• The festival is dedicated to Lord Muruga or Subramanya. Incidentally, the festival is also referred as Aadi Krittika, Kirthigai, Kritika and Krithika.
• The festival is celebrated with fervor in the Murugan Temples in Tamil Nadu.

Story of Observing Aadi Krithigai

• As per some beliefs Muruga first appeared on earth on Aadi Krithigai day.
• Aadi Krithigai in some regions is celebrated to symbolize the victory of good over evil when Murugan slew the demon Surapadman. After the annihilation of the demon, Muruga blessed devotees with boons.
• According to Hindu scriptures, Lord Muruga was born as six different babies. And he was looked after by the six Krittika stars. Later, Lord Muruga was combined as a single baby with six heads by Goddess Parvati on Aadi Krithigai day. There are many variations to this legend. This is another reason for observing Aadi Krithigai.
• Krittikas, the six stars of the Pleiades, who happened to be traversing the skies, happened to hear the gurgling of a happy baby from the Saravana lake – a marshy lake in the Himalayas filled with a thicket of reeds.
• Flooded with maternal love, the six maidens rushed to pick up the charming infant. Each wanted to pick up the child. It is said that to fulfill the motherly affection of the six maidens, Muruga metamorphosed into six individual forms. The delighted krittikas each gathered a baby in their arms and suckled the infants and lavishing care on them.

The six babies represent synergy of

• Desire (Kama)
• Consciousness (Shiva)
• Earth (Parvati)
• Fir (Agni)
• Water (Ganga)
• Space (Krittika)