Aadiperukku or Padinettam Perukku or the 'Flood of the Eighteenth'
Place and community
Aadiperukku is celebrated only in the Kaveri delta.
Month
This festival is called Aadiperukku since the river swells on the 18th day of the month of Adi.
Description
The people of Tamil Nadu celebrate monsoon through this festival. This festival is called the ‘Flood of the Eighteenth’ as the water of the Kaveri river rises on the 18th day of the month of Adi i.e. during July and August. This festival is also therefore known as Aadiperukku.
The river Kaveri holds a lot of significance to the people of Tamil Nadu especially those living near the delta. The primary occupation of most of the people living there is agriculture. As a result the river has a direct impact on the economy of the place.
Adi is the month for planting seeds and vegetation. The increased water levels along the Kaveri basin in Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli districts contribute significantly to the rice cultivation of the area.
People celebrate this occasion by offering chitrannam or rice cooked in different flavors, colors and ingredients to the river-goddess.
Aadiperukku is a festival of fertility and people of Tamil Nadu especially women offer prayers. They wear new clothes and perform abhishekham for Kaveri amman.
Some even buy jewelry. It is a day when people worship the river and light special lamps along the river side. This day also holds special significance for the newly weds as the bride is brought to her parents home and stays on for the month of Adi.
On Adi Pathinettu, the bride is reunited with her husband and sent back to her in-laws with gifts and new clothes.
