Avani Moola Festival: Karunkuruvikku Upadesam Seidha Leelai

Every day is the festival at Meenakshi Amman Temple. Avani Moola Festival is one among them which is celebrating every year in the Tamil month of Avani. This festival is also called as "Avani Moola Utsavam" is celebrated for 10 days and going to start on Sunday, August 23, 2009. Avani Festival is fully dedicated to Lord Sundareswarar as Chitra Festival to Meenakshi. In the Tamil month, Chithirai to Avani Goddess Meenakshi ruling Madurai and from the month Avani to Chithirai Lord Sundareswarar ruling Madurai. Hence the Avani Moola Festival is celebrated in a grand manner like Chitra festival.

The first day of this festival is "Lord Sundareswarar Preached Black Sparrow" (in Tamil: கருங்குருவிக்கு உபதேசம் செய்த லீலை). The story behind this leelai is that there was a luxurious person in the previous birth and he again took rebirth as "Black Sparrow" due to his Karma (sins) in the previous birth. The wild birds always annoying the sparrow, so considering safety and protect itself against from the wild birds it started to stay in the trees. On that time, the sparrow keenly watched some of the Sivacharyas under the tree were talking about the importance of the Potramaraikulam (Golden Lotus Tank) in Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. Then it started to do the holy dip in the Potramaraikulam and perform pooja to Lord daily. Finally, Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar appeared before the sparrow and asked to attain “Moksha” (Sivaloga Pathavi) after this birth. Also Lord Sundareswarar preached “Maha Mrithyunjaya Mantra” to protect its life from the wild birds till the end of the birth.