Aavani Chaturdasi 2020

Aavani Chaturdasi 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 Aavani, on the Shukla Chaturdashi tithi (the fourteenth day of the waxing moon) that prevails at dusk, while the Sun transits Simha rashi.

The twilight hours, spanning the last part of daylight into the early night, are traditionally held sacred to Shiva, and a Chaturdashi tithi falling within this window is regarded as especially auspicious for His worship — the same principle underlying the fortnightly twilight vrata observed nationwide, but here anchored specifically to the Simha solar transit for this Chidambaram observance.

Devotees mark the day with a special abhishekam of Lord Nataraja at dusk, along with recitation of Tevaram hymns composed by the Nayanmars in praise of the Chidambaram deity.