Avani Avittam 2026 ஆவணி அவிட்டம்

The day in the Tamil calendar

Timings for Chennai. The date follows the Tamil Nadu calendar.

About the festival

Avani Avittam is the Tamil name for Upakarma, an annual Vedic observance at which men who have undergone the sacred-thread initiation (upanayanam) discard their old sacred thread and put on a new one.^1,2

The day is traditionally associated with renewing the study of the Vedas.¹

Participants commonly gather near rivers or other water bodies, offer tarpanam to the Devas and Rishis, and chant the Gayatri mantra.^2,3

News reports from Tamil Nadu note participation by Brahmin, Viswakarma and Chettiar communities.^2,3

When it falls: For Yajur Veda followers, Avani Avittam is observed on the full-moon (Purnima) day of the lunar month Shravana, generally in the Tamil month of Avani.^1,2

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Upakarma
2. aninews.in
3. dtnext.in

Avani Avittam in other years