The Sacred Month
Mārgazhi (Tamil: மார்கழி — Sanskrit: Mārgaśīrṣa) is the Tamil month corresponding to approximately mid-December to mid-January, aligned with the sun's transit through Dhanus (Sagittarius) — hence also called Dhanurmāsa. In the Śrī Vaiṣṇava calendar, this is the holiest month of the year.
Why Mārgazhi Is Sacred
In the Bhagavad Gīṭā (10.35), the Lord Himself declares: 'Among months, I am Mārgaśīrṣa' — identifying this month as His own divine manifestation. This statement, combined with the tradition of the Lord's Dhanurmāsa archana (special worship), makes Mārgazhi uniquely auspicious for devotional practice.
Āṇḍāḷ's Tiruppāvai
The defining practice of Mārgazhi is the daily recitation of Āṇḍāḷ's Tiruppāvai — one verse per day for the 30 days of the month. Devotees wake before dawn (the brahmamuhūrta) to bathe in cold water, visit the temple, and recite Tiruppāvai. This practice — called mārgazhi nōmbu (Mārgazhi vow) — is observed by Śrī Vaiṣṇava families across generations.
Major Temple Observances
Vaikuṇṭha Ekādaśī and the Adhyayana Utsavam occur during Mārgazhi in the commonly followed temple calendar. At Śrīraṅgam, Vaikuṇṭha Ekādaśī begins the Rāppattu portion rather than marking the final day of the entire Adhyayana Utsavam; exact calendars and additional concluding days vary by temple. Tiruvāḍippūram, Āṇḍāḷ's avatāra-tirunakṣatram, belongs to the Tamil month of Āḍi and should not be listed as a Mārgazhi observance.
The Dawn Worship
The early morning (brahmamuhūrta) worship during Mārgazhi is especially potent — the Lord is said to be most accessible at this hour, and the coolness of the pre-dawn air recalls the gopīs' early morning journey to worship Kṛṣṇa in Āṇḍāḷ's Tiruppāvai.