TURNING 60

This Sunday we shall step into the new Tamil year called Vikhari. As for me, I have come one full cycle. I was born in the year Vikhari some 60 years back in 1959. I have completed 60 or Shashti Poorti. Shashti Poorti is the completion of 60 years of age of the male or oru vattam that is considered a century in our society.

The sixtieth year in one’s life is a significant milestone, memorable turning point, a touching reminder of the rich, mellowed life that would unfold in the years to come. The Hindu calendar has 60 years (named Prabhava, Vibhava, etc.) that repeat themselves after every 60 years in a sequence. Shashti poorthi marks the completion of one such cycle. For one who has lived for 60 years will have seen all the 60 years in the calendar. This milestone marks celebration and gratitude for life given by God. One more important aspect of Shashtiabdha poorthi is that all the planets in the zodiac come to the same positions or occupy the same houses of zodiac as compared to the actual date of birth of the individual. These planets take the same position as they were on the date of birth of the individual after 60 years. It means that the two major planets Sani/Saturn (which takes 30 years to complete one cycle round the sun) and the Viyazhan/Jupiter (which takes 12 years to complete one cycle round the Sun) comes to the same position after 60 years.

The sages and the rishis of lore have acknowledged the sanctity of the sixtieth year in one’s life. They looked at it as rebirth with the pre-sixty as a period of materialistic pursuit while the post-sixty span is slated for spiritual endeavour. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shashti_Poorthi)

Tradition tells us of four ashramas or Chaturashrama in the life of a human being namely Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa. 

The first stage of life was Brahmacharya (bachelor student) lasting through about 25 years of life, the second stage was Grihastha (married householder) and lasted through about 50 year age. Vanaprastha represented the third stage, between the ages of 50 and 74 and typically marked with birth of grandchildren, gradual transition of householder responsibilities to the next generation, increasingly hermit-like lifestyle, and greater emphasis on community services and spiritual pursuit. The Vanaprastha stage ultimately transitioned into Sannyasa, a stage of complete renunciation and dedication to spiritual questions. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shashti_Poorthi)

Moving on from the role of a householder to that of a Vanaprastha is considered a transition from a life of seeking wealth, security, and pleasure to one with greater emphasis on Moksha or spiritual liberation and living a life of detachment and increasing seclusion. Hence Sannyasa and Moksha was not the prerogative of a selected few but was made available to all. 

The more he gives up the worldly delights, the closer he gets to the knowledge of his spirit, and more ready he is for the last stage - the Sanyas Ashram, where he renounces everything and focuses entirely on spiritual pursuits. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shashti_Poorthi)

As seen in the calendar, the significance of the number 60 is also seen in denoting time. A day is divided into 60 nazhigai equivalents to 24 hours of a day.

One nazhigai is of 24 minutes and one muhurtam is of 48 minutes. Each nazhigai was, further, subdivided into 60 parts, called thuli. Similarly, one thuli is of 24 seconds. Each thuli was, further, subdivided into 60 parts, called nodi. One nodi is 0.4 seconds. Each nodi was subdivided into 60 parts, called kuzhi. One kuzhi is 0.00666 seconds. One kuzhi is the time taken by the krithigai natchatiram (Pleiades stars) to glitter once.  10 kuzhi is equivalent to one kannimai, the time taken for normal wink of an eye. One kanam is 4 minutes while one anu is 4 seconds. One saamam referred to the modern day one hour which was defined as 2.5 nazhigai. 4 saamam (or 4 hours) constituted one sirupozhuthu and 6 sirupozhuthu made one complete day. (Source: http://tmuthukumar.blogspot.com/2013/07/concepts-from-tamil-culture_28.html)

Beginning with sunrise, the next two hours are named kaalai; followed by the next two hours named nanpagal; followed by yerpaadu; maalai, yaamam and early dawn was vaikarai. How sweet and amazing!

Today I have an extended family brought together by Agathiyar. These children came in search of Agathiyar and stood their ground for the love of Agathiyar. Blessed am I to be in their folds.