Thiruvathirai 2026 falls on Thursday, 24 December 2026, the full-moon day of Margazhi when the Thiruvathirai star is in the sky. It is Nataraja's day: temples perform the Arudra Darshanam abhishekam before dawn and bring the deity out in procession, with Chidambaram as the centre of it all. At home, Saivite families keep a fast until the evening pooja and offer thiruvathirai kali, a sweet made from roasted rice and jaggery, with a kootu of seven vegetables.
1. Date and timing
| Thiruvathirai / Arudra Darshan | Thursday, 24 December 2026 |
| Temple abhishekam | Before dawn, usually 3–5 am, when the Thiruvathirai nakshatram and pournami coincide |
| Home pooja | Early morning, or evening with the kali |
The date is from Drik Panchang for India. Chidambaram and other large Siva temples publish their own darshan schedule.
2. The Nataraja pooja at home
- Bathe early and light the lamp with sesame oil or ghee before the Nataraja or Sivalingam picture.
- Do a simple abhishekam if you have a small lingam: water, milk, rose water, panchagavyam or holy theertha powder mixed in water, then dry and dress.
- Apply vibhuti in three lines, then sandalwood paste and kumkum.
- Offer bilva leaves and flowers, light incense and sambrani.
- Chant the Thiruvempavai verse of the day, Sivapuranam or "Om Namasivaya" 108 times, then the camphor aarti.
3. Thiruvathirai kali and kootu
Thiruvathirai kali is made from raw rice roasted and coarsely ground, cooked with jaggery, ghee, cardamom, cashews and dried coconut. Many families add a little sesame seed and a pinch of edible camphor at the end.
Ezhu kari kootu (seven-vegetable kootu) goes with it: pumpkin, sweet potato, yam, raw banana, broad beans, ash gourd and brinjal cooked with toor dal, coconut and a tempering of mustard and curry leaves. Both are offered to Nataraja before the family eats.
4. Thiruvathirai items list
| For | Items |
|---|---|
| Pooja | Vibhuti, sandalwood powder, kumkum, camphor, incense, sambrani, lamp oil, wicks |
| Abhishekam | Rose water, panchagavyam, holy theertha powder, milk, honey, sandhanadi oil |
| Kali | Raw rice, jaggery, ghee, cardamom, cashews, dried coconut, sesame seeds, edible camphor |
| Kootu | Seven vegetables, toor dal, coconut, mustard |
5. Thiruvathirai checklist
- Lamp oil, wicks, camphor
- Vibhuti, sandal, kumkum, bilva leaves
- Abhishekam items if you have a lingam
- Rice, jaggery, cardamom, cashews, coconut for the kali
- Seven vegetables and dal for the kootu
Getting ready for Thiruvathirai?
Siva Pooja Store, Big Bazaar Street, Dindigul, keeps all the pooja and kali ingredients in one place. Order at sivapoojastore.com or WhatsApp 91507 87862.
Common questions
What is the Thiruvathirai 2026 date? Thursday, 24 December 2026.
Is fasting required? Many women keep a fast from morning until the evening pooja, then eat the kali and kootu. It is a custom, not a rule, and elders and children usually eat normally.
Why is kali offered to Nataraja? The story is of Sendanar, a devotee who had only roasted rice and jaggery to offer; Nataraja accepted it, and the kali has been the Thiruvathirai naivedyam since.
Is Arudra Darshan the same as Thiruvathirai? Yes. Arudra is the Sanskrit name of the Thiruvathirai star, and Arudra Darshanam is the pre-dawn darshan of Nataraja on this day.