Even thousands of miles away in California, the festival’s cultural and spiritual essence continues to resonate with communities worldwide
The month of Maargazhi (called Maagh in North India) begins in Tamil Nadu and other South Indian states on December 17 and lasts until January 16. This period culminates in Pongal in South India and Makar Sankranti in North India.
It is regarded as the most sacred month among Tamilians and other South Indians. (In North India, the Maagh Mela is held every year in my hometown, Allahabad-Prayagraj, where Hindu saints from all over India congregate and give their sermons (pravachans).)
Lord Krishna says in Chapter 10, Verse 35 of the Bhagavad Gita:
“Among the months, I am Maargazhi” (Masanam Margaseersho Asmi).
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् |
मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकर: || 35||
bṛihat-sāma tathā sāmnāṁ gāyatrī chhandasām aham
māsānāṁ mārga-śhīrṣho ’ham ṛitūnāṁ kusumākaraḥ
During this month, the Earth is furthest from the Sun.
I arrived in Chennai on November 30, 2004, to take over as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. Shortly afterward, Maargazhi began.
Kolam For Margazhi
Throughout this month, a devotional song called Thiruppavai is sung very early in the morning, mostly by women (though some men also join). It is chanted after bathing, about one and a half hours before sunrise, during the Brahma Muhurtha.
This song, written centuries ago (possibly a thousand years), is attributed to the poet-saint Andal, a young woman originally named Goda who lived in the town of Srivilliputhur in Tamil Nadu. (Thiruppavai is not only sung throughout Tamil Nadu but also wherever Tamilians live, including in America and Canada. For instance, in Toronto, which I visited in 2021, I observed many Sri Lankan Tamil ladies singing it.)
Since I became the head of the judiciary in Tamil Nadu, I decided to learn about the culture of its people. I obtained a copy of Thiruppavai (translated into English) and read it carefully.
Lord Krishna with cows and Gwalas
What struck me most was the vivid and accurate description of the Mathura countryside, though Mathura is far away in Uttar Pradesh, about 2,490 kilometers from Tamil Nadu.
The depictions of herds of cattle with tinkling bells, the musical sound of butter churning, conch sounds from temples, chirping birds, girls bathing in ponds, and other details of Mathura’s ambience were astonishingly precise. Having visited Mathura several times, I can vouch for their accuracy.
Given the lack of modern transportation—no airplanes, trains, or cars—during Andal’s time, it’s intriguing how she could describe the Mathura region so vividly without ever visiting it. This mystery calls for further research.
A significant aspect of Maargazhi is the daily drawing of kolams (rangoli) in front of houses.
Music festivals are another highlight of Maargazhi, held across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Thyagaraja
In Thiruvaiyaru, a village in Tanjore district, Tamil Nadu, the birthplace of the great music composer Thyagaraja (one of the trinity of Carnatic music), an annual music festival is held during Maargazhi. Carnatic singers from all over the globe assemble to perform.
Currently, I am in Fremont, California, surrounded by beautiful scenery, a temperate climate, greenery, and blue hills. But my heart is not here. It is in Tamil Nadu—the state whose people showered me with love and affection during my tenure as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.
This is the month of Maargazhi, and I wish I were in Tamil Nadu, listening to people sing Thiruppavai in the early morning, instead of basking in the pleasant California sun. 
_________
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Markandey Katju
Justice Markandey Katju is former Judge, Supreme Court of India and former Chairman, Press Council of India.
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