Chittirai Onam 2021

Chittirai Onam 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 Chittirai, on the day Sravana nakshatra prevails at dusk, while the Sun transits Mesha rashi.

Onam-named observances of this kind are widely associated with Sravana nakshatra across Tamil temple tradition, and at Chidambaram this particular occurrence is marked with a special abhishekam (ceremonial bathing) of the Nataraja and Sivakami Amman deities at the Kanaka Sabhai, accompanied by traditional Tevaram and Tiruvasagam recitation.

Devotees regard all six Nataraja Abhishekam days as especially auspicious for darshan, believing that witnessing the abhishekam on these specific tithi/nakshatra combinations carries particular merit.