Panguni Uthiram

Panguni Uthiram (பங்குனி உத்திரம்) is a Tamil Hindu festival. It is marked on the purnima (full moon) of the month of Panguni (14 March - 13 April). It falls on the day the moon transits the nakshatram (asterism) of Uttiram (Uttara Phalguni) in the twelfth month Panguni of the Tamil calendar. This coincides with the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna/Chaitra. Panguni is also the last month of the Solar Tamil Calendar year after which the next New Tamil Year begins.

Significance
Panguni Uthiram commemorates the weddings of Shiva and Parvati, Rama and Sita, Murugan (Kartikeya) and Devasena, and Ranganatha (Vishnu) and Andal. It is also marks the manifestation of Ayyappan.

Lakshmi is said to have emerged from the Ocean of Milk during the legend of the Samudra Manthana on this occasion, celebrated as Mahalakshmi Jayanti.

The day is intended to underline the glory of (the married life of a householder).

Religious practices
Devotees of Murugan carry a kavadi for the fulfillment of vows, marked in Murugan temples.

The Brahmanda Purana indicates that on Panguni Uthiram, millions of devas bathe in the Tumburu Tirtha, one of seven sacred tanks in the Venkateshvara Temple of Tirupati. Bathing in the temple tank during this occasion is said to release one from the cycle of rebirth.

The day is of special significance to the worship of the prithvi lingam, the lingam the earth element, of the Ekambareswarar Temple at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, where festivities last for 13 days.

According to regional tradition, Parvati in the form of Gauri married Shiva in Kanchipuram. Hence, this day is also celebrated as Gauri Kalyanam.