Karadaiyan Nombu 2025: Date, Time, Rituals and Significance

Karadaiyan Nombu, also known as Savitri Vratham, is an important festival celebrated predominantly in Tamil Nadu and other Tamil-speaking regions. It is observed by married women and is dedicated to the story of Savitri and Satyavan. The festival falls on the transition between the Tamil months of Massi and Panguni, typically around the time of Meena Sankranti, and in 2025, it is being observed on Friday, March 14.
The fasting period for Karadaiyan Nombu will last from 6:33 AM to 6:59 PM, marking a special time for devotion, fasting, and prayers.
Important Things to Know About Karadaiyan Nombu
Karadaiyan Nombu always falls on the transition between the Tamil months of Massi and Panguni and coincides with Meena Sankranti. In 2025, this festival will be observed on Friday, March 14, with the fasting period from 6:33 AM to 6:59 PM. Karadaiyan Nombu holds cultural and social significance as well. It’s a time for families to come together, share food, and strengthen their bonds. The festival reflects the values of devotion, sacrifice, and the importance of familial ties in Tamil culture.
Kardaiyan Nombu 2025: Story
According to the myth, Savitri, a beautiful and wise princess, married Satyavan, a prince who was cursed to die on his 16th year of marriage. Despite knowing the tragic fate awaiting her husband, Savitri accepted the marriage with full devotion. When the day of Satyavan’s death arrived, Savitri followed him into the forest, where Yama, the God of Death, appeared to take her husband’s soul. However, Savitri’s love and devotion were so strong that she courageously argued with Yama, asking for her husband's life back. Moved by her determination and devotion, Yama granted Savitri the boon of her husband's life.The festival of Karadaiyan Nombu commemorates this act of devotion, faith, and perseverance, with married women observing the day by fasting and praying for the long life and well-being of their husbands.
Significance of Karadaiyan Nombu
The primary significance of Karadaiyan Nombu lies in honoring Savitri’s devotion to her husband and the power of sacrificial love and faith in marriage. Here’s why this festival is so meaningful Savitri's determination and unshakable devotion to her husband serve as a model for married women, inspiring them to remain faithful and devoted to their spouses through thick and thin. Karadaiyan Nombu is a way to express gratitude for marital bonds and to pray for the well-being and longevity of one's husband. The Vratham is believed to bless married women with happiness, health, and prosperity in their married life. Women pray for the strength to endure any hardships in their relationships and seek the long life of their husbands, just as Savitri did for Satyavan.
Observance and Rituals of Karadaiyan Nombu
On the day of Karadaiyan Nombu, women wake up early in the morning, before sunrise, and take a ritual bath. The fast begins at 6:33 AM and ends at 6:59 PM. During the fasting period, participants refrain from eating food and drinking water. The fasting is undertaken to show devotion and to pray for the long life and health of their husbands.
Women prepare a special dish known as Karadai. The Karadai is typically offered to the sun and is then shared among the family members. This offering is meant to symbolize the sustenance and support that the woman provides in the family, just as Savitri’s devotion provided the sustenance of life for Satyavan.
Women conduct a special prayer or puja during the day, usually invoking Savitri and Yama, the god of death, asking for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. The puja involves reciting mantras and prayers from sacred texts, as well as singing devotional songs. The focus is on seeking divine blessings for the continued happiness and health of their spouses.
After the puja, a sacred yellow thread called the Nombu thread is tied around the neck or wrist of the woman, symbolizing the vows taken during the fasting and prayer ritual. This thread is believed to symbolize the bond between the woman and the divine, and it serves as a reminder of the woman’s devotion and the promises made during the festival.