Aani Thirumanjanam 2021

Aani Thirumanjanam, also known as Aani Uttiram, is one of the six annual Abhishekam days observed for Lord Nataraja at the Chidambaram Temple, together known as Sri Nataraja Abhishekam. It falls in the Tamil month of Aani, on the day Uttara Phalguni nakshatra (Uttiram) rules sunrise, while the Sun transits Mithuna rashi.

Unlike the four Chaturdashi-based Abhishekam days of this group, Aani Thirumanjanam is timed to the pre-dawn hours: the nakshatra should be present at sunrise, or — for a short (kshaya) occurrence that never rules a sunrise outright — cover the sacred hours just before dawn, on whichever day it falls.

Aani Thirumanjanam is among the most widely celebrated of the six, marked at Chidambaram with an elaborate ceremonial bathing (thirumanjanam) of Lord Nataraja, drawing large crowds of devotees for the pre-dawn and morning darshan.