Welcome Aadi

Today is the beginning of Tamil month Aadi or Kannada month Ashada Masa!
I find this month interesting because of the conflict associated with it. Lemme explain
Generally, all auspicious occasions and beginnings like weddings, house warming functions, even bride/groom hunting events are not planned in this month! This month is more or less treated like a curse. Even the newly married couples are forced to stay with their respective parents ;-)

This on one side and on the another, we have all Hindu deities treating this month very specially!
All fridays are extra-auspicious, esp. for goddesses and many temples have car-festivals so as to say!
There is also a third dimension that has been added by our entrepreneurs and that's the most interesting part, esp. for women! Almost every shop starting from trade giants to mom&pop store offers a huge discount on e'thing from a needle to jewelery! Reason for offering discount was to attract buyers in those ages where every buying had a compelling reason and the reasons were lacking in the inauspicious month. With today's compulsive buyers and experience-seeking consumers, we have come a long way. So also are the Aadi discounts!

Maybe, then this is a month where we have to focus on spiritual aspects with less focus on material bliss(except shopping, of course!).

Some excerpts on the astrological & religious significance of this month:
Aadi falls during the second half of the year known as Dakshinayanam when the Sun transits from the northern hemisphere to the Southern during July.The transition from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere in the month of January is known as Uthirayanam. "Both the periods are auspicious for the worship of the Gods and Goddesses". As the transit of stars takes place during the day Uthirayana, all auspicious functions including marriages are conducted at that period, while during the month of Aadi the transition take place during the night;
Aadi Krithigai and Thai Poosam are important festivals for Lord Subramaniya. For the goddess also the month of Aadi is very auspicious. Aadi pooram and Aadi peruku are very popular festivals in the rural areas of Tamilnadu.