Kakinada: While a majority of the almanac writers of both Poorva Paddathi and Drikh Paddathi have fixed Vijaya Dasami festival (Dasara) on Tuesday, Oct 24, many temples are celebrating this a day earlier, on Monday.
The almanac writers, except for three or four, said Dasami Tithi falls on Tuesday and hence the festival should be celebrated on this day. The festival should not be celebrated on Monday as it will not help one fulfill the Deekshas, they said.
Some pundits argued that performing puja in the name of Sami to Jammi Chettu (Jada or Mesquites or Prosopis) is most important to this festival. "The Sami pooja should be performed only when Sravana Star (Telugu Star) is with Dasami Tithi. Monday is the Dasami and Sravanam star day. On Tuesday, there is no Sravanam Tithi. Vijaya Dasami festival should not be celebrated, when the Danistha star comes with Dasami Tithi. According to this principle, the Dasami festival should be celebrated on Oct 23," they said.
The Drik Siddhanta Almanac writers association honorary president Gorthi Machara Pattabhi Sastry condemned the statement. He said there was no connection between Dasami and Sravanam stars vis-à-vis the festival. Dasami Thithi should be taken into consideration only to decide on the festival.
He said that if Pandits argued over the Star of Sravanam with Dasami, no Sravanam star with Dasami Tithi would come next year. What the pundits would do then, he asked.
Some people, in the name of pundits and almanac writers, are misleading the society with false arguments and pushing them into confusion. "The Drikh Siddanth Almanac Writers are getting ready to make a debate on this issue," he added.
