Masi Magam is a Tamil festival that occurs during the Tamil month of Masi (February – March) on the day when the Purnima (full moon day) aligns with the Magha star. While Masi Magam is celebrated year on year, the festival of Maha Magam comes once in twelve years when the Jupiter transits to the zodiac sign Leo on the Masi Magam day. The essence of all the rituals, holy dip and worship on this day is spiritual purification.
Magha star is the birth star of kings and royal personages. When moon comes in alignment with this star on the full moon day of Masi Magam, a heavenly consciousness pervades the entire earth from above. It is believed that on this day, the celestial beings and pitrus come down to the earth in their astral forms and take a holy dip in the sacred waters to wash their sins and also the sins of the human race.
Holy rivers are endowed with more powers on this day and therefore millions of pilgrims gather at the designated places like Kumbakonam (a temple town in Tamil Nadu) to take a dip in the sacred wells.
