Amavasya

Amavasya (Sanskrit: अमावस्या) means new moon night in Sanskrit. The word Amavasya is common to almost all Indian languages as they are all heavily influenced by Sanskrit, even the Dravidian languages of the South which are not considered by modern linguists to derive from Sanskrit.

Meaning of Amavasya

In Sanskrit, "ama" means "together" and "vasya" means "to dwell" or "cohabit".

The new moon day (all 24 hours and not just the night) is considered part of Amavasya. In the pūrṇimānta māna Hindu lunar calendar used in most parts of the Indian subcontinent, the lunar month starts on the day following the full moon orpurnima and therefore Amavasya always falls in the middle of the month. However, in the amānta māna calendar used in some places, the lunar month starts on the day after the new moon, making Amavasya the last day of the lunar month in those places. Many festivals, the most famous being Diwali (the festival of lights), are observed on Amavasya. Many Hindus fast on Amavasya.

In old Indian culture and beliefs, irrespective of religions, Amavasya is considered a time of great power. In Tamil, though Amavasya is commonly used in religious spheres, the pure Tamil scholars prefer the term Puthuppi Ra Fast is observed to propitiate both the Sun and Moon Gods. Except for the Karttika Amavasya (Amavasya of Diwali), the Amavasya is considered inauspicious