Invoke The Blessings Of Chitragupta On Chitra Pournami

Chitra Pournami or Chitra Purnima is just a few days away, and this is the right time to invoke the blessings of Chitragupta. His blessings are essential to negate the Negative Karmic Annals, which makes it vital to seek his blessings. 

Chitra Pournami 2022

The Tamil festival Chitra Purnima is celebrated on the Pournami or full moon of the Chithirai or Chaitra month. This day is perceived as the date of birth of the Hindu deity Chitragupta. Hindus strongly believe that Chitragupta, the assistant of the Death God Lord Yama, keeps account of our good & bad deeds. 

When is Chitra Pournami celebrated in 2022?

Chitra Purnima will be celebrated on Saturday, April 16th this year. On this day, the Hindu devotees will take a sacred bath in the various waterways in their place to wash away their sins and misdeeds. 

Timings for Chitra Pournami 2022

• Sun Rise: 6:09
• Sun Set: 6:44
• Chitra Purnima Thithi starts on 2:20 April 16
• Chitra Purnima Thithi ends on 00:25 April 17

Importance of Chitra Pournami 

Chitra Purnima is an important festival among the Hindus. It is perceived that Chitragupta was born to Parvathi through a Chithiram or painting and then made its way into Gomatha Kamadhenu’s womb to be born on Chitra Pournami.

By carrying out noble or compassionate acts on this day, devotees can appease Chitragupta, who will, in turn, remove some of the sins committed. Praying to God by visiting various temples and holy places and taking part in poojas and rituals helps. Undertaking Girivalam is also said to bring positive results in exterminating all our sins.  

This festival is mainly celebrated by women; however, men can also partake in it. After a bath, women clean their home entrance and decorate the place with Maa Kolam or Rangoli, portraying Chitragupta with a paper & pen or draw a Padi Kolam in the Southern direction, which will be the opening for Chitragupta to enter. Offering prayers to Chitragupta is assumed to deflect Ketu Dosha in the horoscope.

What is the Meaning of Chitra Pournami?

Chitra implies a Compendium of Pictures while Gupta stands for Hidden. On the Chitra Pournami day, Chitragupta calculates the good & bad deeds of the people and submits a report to Yama, the Lord of Death.

Temples in which Chitra Pournami is Celebrated

Special poojas are offered at various temples in southern India. Notable among them are

• The Chitragupta temple – Kanchipuram, 
• Chandra Moulishwar temple – Thiruvakkarai 
• Airavateshwarar temple – Darasuram 

Fasting on Chitra Pournami

Devotees should stay away from consuming milk and milk products made of cow’s milk. After the pooja, the deity is offered Naivedhya. The people offer rice, veggies, and money to the poor and needy. On this day, devotees go on a fast and consume food without adding salt to it. In fact, staying away from salty foods is the main stipulation of the fast on Chitra Pournami.

Rituals on Chitra Pournami

• The first & foremost practice on the Chitra Purnima is to wake up early and take a holy dip in a sacred river before sunrise.
• Devotees are required to worship Lord Vishnu and Lord Hanuman after the holy dip.
• Many devotees also observe the Satyanarayana vratam or fast and recite the Satyanarayana Katha. After this, the prasadam is offered to God.
• Fruits, coconut, supari, incense sticks, etc., are offered to Lord Vishnu. 
• Offering Arghya to Moon God is an important ritual done on this day in the evening.
• Also, reading sessions of the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana are conducted.
• Devotees also do various donations and charity work, such as food donation, offering clothes, alms, etc., to the poor.

Follow the above and invoke the blessings of Chitragupta on the auspicious day of Chitra Pournami.