Agrahayana


Agrahāyaṇa or Mārgaśīrṣa, is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Agrahāyaṇa is the ninth month of the year, beginning on 22 November and ending on 21 December. Since Vedic times, this month is known as Mārgaśīrṣa after the Nakṣatra Mṛgaśiras. In Tamil, the month is known as Maarkazhi.
The word Agrahāyaṇa means the month of Ayana or Equinox. The aligning of this name with the Mṛgaśiras Nakṣatra , gives rise to speculation that this name was given when the sun was near Orion at the time of the vernal equinox, i.e. around 7000 years ago.
In lunar religious calendars, Agrahāyaṇa may begin on either the new moon or the full moon around the same time of year, and is usually the 9th month of the year.
In solar religious calendars, Agrahāyaṇa/Maarkazhi begins with the Sun's entry into Sagittarius, and is the 9th month of the year.

Festivals

, the Ekādaśī of this Mārgaśīṣa month, is celebrated also as Mokṣadā Ekādaśī. The 10th Canto, 22nd Chapter of Bhāgavata Purāṇa, mentions young marriageable daughters of the cowherd men of Gokula, worshiping Goddess Kātyāyanī and taking a vrata or vow, during the entire month of Mārgaśīṣa, the first month of the winter season, to get Śrī Kṛṣṇa as their husband.
Bhairava Ashtami falls on Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa Aṣṭamī of this month of Mārgaśīṣa. On this day it is said that Lord Śiva appeared on earth in the fierce manifestation as Śrī Kālabhairava. This day is commemorated with special prayers and rituals.
In Tamil Nadu during this month of "marghaazi" ladies make "koolams" or "rangoli" early in the morning during 4 - 5 o' clock.
Śukla PakṣaKṛṣṇa Pakṣa
1. Pratipat1. Pratipat
2. Dvitīya2. Dvitīya
3. Tṛtīya3. Tṛtīya
4. Caturthī4. Caturthī
5. Pañcamī5. Pañcamī
6. Ṣaṣṭhī6. Ṣaṣṭhī
7. Saptamī7. Saptamī
8. Aṣṭamī8. Aṣṭamī
9. Navamī9. Navamī
10. Daśamī10. Daśamī
11. Ekādaśī11. Ekādaśī
12. Dvādaśī12. Dvādaśī
13. Trayodaśī13. Trayodaśī
14. Caturdaśī14. Caturdaśī
15. Pūrṇimā15. Amāvāsya