Aadi festival celebrated in Monksland temple

Aadi Pooram is a famous festival celebrated by the Hindu community across the world. The Ireland Murugan Temple in Monksland held a special ceremony in celebration on Saturday, July 22.

The Murugan Temple is the first in Ireland and the first Hindu Temple outside of Dublin.

Aadi Pooram is a celebration by Hindu people during the month of Aadi (Tamil Calendar Month). Aadi month falls in between July and August.

The whole festival is considered to be an auspicious occasion because Aadi Pooram is the birthday of Goddess Aandal.

It is the day at which she became a human on Earth and on that day the star was ‘Pooram’. Pooram is one of the 27 stars of Tamil Astrology. Generally, according to Hindu custom and tradition, astrological factors are considered for a new start. Aadi Pooram is one such day with best astrological moments.

The celebration, which was live streamed from start to finish, saw more than 250 devotees coming from all over the island of Ireland as well different cultures and community who joined in the celebration.

Temple secretary, and event co-planner, Revi Velayudan was on hand to ensure the smooth running of the days procedures. Having been a chef in Ireland for more than 23 years, he said “we provide a meal every week and are grateful to anyone who wants to bring a dish to share; in our culture friends always share meals and that is what we want the temple to feel like to devotees; a safe place to come together with friends”.

After the event there was a celebration of devotee Venkat Ramji’s son’s First birthday.

There was great joy at this celebration and the Baby Gokula Rakshan got a blessing from the Hindu priest and got well wishes from all of the attendees.

Ireland Murugan Temple is a non-profit organisation with charitable status, for more information on the Murugan Temple and the services visit www.murugan.ie or check out their Facebook page.

Their hours of worship are every Saturday evening from 5pm to 7pm.