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{{short description|Historical Tamil Hindu festival}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}

{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Indra Vila
| type = [[Hindu festivals|Hindu]], Historical
| official_name = Indra Vila
| nickname = Indra Vizha
| observedby = At [[Tamil people|Tamils]], [[Chola dynasty|Cholas]], [[Pandya dynasty|Pandyas]]
| longtype = Religious, Agricultural
| significance = Festival honoring [[Indra]], deity of rain and harvest
| date = Month of [[Chaitra]] (historical)
| duration = 27 days (historical)
| frequency = Annual (historical)
| celebrations = Processions, drum ceremonies, state festivities
| observances = Rain prayers, agricultural rituals
| relatedto = [[Bhogi]], [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]]
}}

'''Indra Vila'''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ncnrDwAAQBAJ&dq=indra+Vila+festival&pg=PA43 |title=AKASHVANI: Vol. XXV. No. 12. ( 20 MARCH, 1960 ) |date=1960-03-20 |publisher=Publications Division (India), New Delhi |pages=43 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Broadcasting |first=India Ministry of Information and |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_uQ9AAAAMAAJ&q=indra+Vila+festival |title=Contribution of the South to the Heritage of India |date=1961 |publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting |pages=44 |language=en}}</ref> ({{Langx|ta|இந்திர விழா|lit=Festival of Indra|translit=Indra Viḻā}}),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nayagam |first=Xavier S. Thani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G--1AAAAIAAJ&q=indira+vila |title=Tamil Culture |date=1966 |publisher=Academy of Tamil Culture |pages=167 |language=en}}</ref> sometimes rendered '''Indra Vizha''', was a historical [[Hinduism|Hindu]] festival that was celebrated in [[Tamilakam]] during the [[Sangam Age|Sangam period]] (2nd century BCE – 3rd century CE). It was celebrated in honour of Vendhan ([[Indra]]),<ref>{{Cite book |last=RAMANUJAN |first=S. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rntPBAAAQBAJ&dq=vendhan+indra&pg=PA22 |title=THE LORD OF VENGADAM |date=2014-08-13 |publisher=PartridgeIndia |isbn=978-1-4828-3462-8 |pages=22 |language=en}}</ref> the deity associated with the [[Sangam landscape|Marutham landscape]].

==History==
The [[Chola Dynasty|Cholas]] celebrated the festival at [[Poompuhar|Kaveripattinam]], whereas the [[Pandya Dynasty|Pandyas]] celebrated the festival at [[Madurai]].<ref>சின்னமனூர் செப்பேடுகள்</ref> The festival is mentioned in the ancient Tamil epics of [[Cilappatikaram]]{{sfn|R Parthasarathy (Translator)|2004|pp=2–5}} and [[Manimekalai]].{{sfn|Alain Danielou (Translator)|1993|pp=1-4}} During the reign of the [[Cholas]] and the [[Pandyas]], it was celebrated as a state festival, recognised and conducted by these royal regimes.<ref>மணிமேகலை, விழாவறை காதை</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Untitled Document |url=http://www.tamilvu.org/courses/degree/p104/p1041/html/p1041333.htm |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=www.tamilvu.org}}</ref> Both of these epics state that the festival of Indra was celebrated with great pomp at Kaveripattinam by the Chola king, called the, "festival of the thousand-eyed one". The commencement of the festival, called the Vila Kalkol, was proclaimed by the beat of drums, placed on the back on an elephant.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MazdaWXQFuQC&dq=indra+Vila+drums&pg=PA362 |title=Indian History |date=1988 |publisher=Allied Publishers |isbn=978-81-8424-568-4 |pages=362 |language=en}}</ref>

== Legend ==
According to [[Manimekalai]], the legendary sage, [[Agastya]], helped the people of [[Poompuhar|Kaveripattinam]] during a period of drought. He advised the Chola king, Todittol Sembian, to celebrate a festival for Indra to please him, so that the deity may bring rain to this city. Heeding this counsel, the king arranged a big festival for Indra. In return, they received rainfall in the city, and the prosperity associated with it, and hence his successors continued to celebrate this festival every year, for 27 days during the month of [[Chaitra]]. According to another legend, once, a [[Chola Dynasty|Chola]] king named Nedumkilli could not celebrate the Indra Vila festival. As a consequence to this, the wrath of the deity fell on the kingdom and the king: The sea engulfed the famous port city of [[Poompuhar|Kaveripattinam]], and all the inhabitants of the city suffered.<ref>{{Cite book |last=M. Arunachalam |url=http://archive.org/details/FestivalsOfTamilNadu |title=Festivals Of Tamil Nadu |date=1980}}</ref>

In the contemporary period, the festivities associated with the agricultural Indra Vila are primarily associated with the occasion of [[Bhogi|Bhogi Pongal]], the day dedicated to Indra, and preserving all the elements of the seasonal festival.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Studies |first=Faculty of Oriental |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSM9AAAAIAAJ&dq=Indra+Bhogi+pongal&pg=PA133 |title=Neolithic Cattle-Keepers of South India |publisher=CUP Archive |pages=133 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Garrett |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iRubEAAAQBAJ&dq=Indra+Bhogi+pongal&pg=PA458 |title=A Classical Dictionary of India |date=2022-11-09 |publisher=BoD – Books on Demand |isbn=978-3-368-13131-9 |pages=458 |language=en}}</ref> Locally, the Indra Vila is conducted at the [[Tripura Sundari|Kamatchi Amman]] temple at the Kallimadai locality near [[Singanallur, Coimbatore|Singanallur]] in [[Coimbatore]] every year.<ref>{{cite news |date=2015-01-16 |title=Kallimadai Indra Festival |newspaper=Dinamalar |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/news/tamil-nadu-district-news-coimbatore/news/1434219 |access-date=2022-04-22}}</ref> The Venkudai (White umbrella) festival, depicting the white umbrella and the [[Airavata]] of [[Indra]], is conducted every year at [[Rajapalayam]], in commemoration of the ancient Indra Vila.<ref>{{cite news |date=15 April 2022 |title=White Umbrella festival |newspaper=Dinamani |url=https://www.dinamani.com/all-editions/edition-madurai/virudhunagar/2022/apr/15/%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9C%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B2-%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B3%E0%AE%BE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%82%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D-335-%E0%AE%86%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B4%E0%AE%BE-3827321.html |access-date=2022-04-23}}</ref>

The Seedling planting festival has been celebrated by the farming community along the banks of [[Noyyal River]]. The festival is conducted in the month of [[Jyeshtha (month)|Aani]]. The ritual forms a part of [[Indra festival]]. The festival has its reference from the "Perur Puranam" by Kachiappa Munivar.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://shaivam.org/scripture/Tamil/1766/perur-puranam-part-3-kachiyappa-munivar/#gsc.tab=0 | title=Kachiyappa Munivar aruliya Perurp Puranam III - கச்சியப்ப முனிவர் அருளிய பேரூர்ப் புராணம் - III - (Thiruperur in Coimbatore) }}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| title =Ani Utsava sapling planting festival 2023
| newspaper =Daily Thanthi
| location =Coimbatore
| date =25 June 2023
| url =https://www.dailythanthi.com/News/State/ani-utsava-sapling-planting-ceremony-at-pattiswarar-temple-in-perur-993530
| access-date =20 April 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]]
*[[Makar Sankranti|Sankranti]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Works cited===
* {{citation |ref={{harvid|Alain Danielou (Translator)|1993}} |translator=Alain Danielou |title=Manimekhalai: the dancer with the magic bowl |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1993 |isbn=9780811210980 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wl7T45yhh1sC}}
*{{cite book |ref={{harvid|R Parthasarathy (Translator)|2004}} |translator=R Parthasarathy |title=The Cilappatikāram: The Tale of an Anklet (Iḷaṅkōvaṭikaḷ) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWPg7EvPirgC |year=2004 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-303196-3}}

[[Category:Tamil festivals]]
[[Category:Hindu festivals in India]]
[[Category:Hindu festivals]]
[[Category:Sowing festivals in India]]
[[Category:Indra]]
[[Category:Festivals in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Seasonal festivals]]
[[Category:Sangam period]]
[[Category:Defunct festivals]]
[[Category:Culture of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Festivals in India]]
[[Category:Chola dynasty]]
[[Category:Culture of Madurai]]

Indra Vila - Revision history

DoreenDiggs540: put up initial details basic info