“Ponkidaithaalum Budhan Kidaikkadhu,” is a famous adage. According to this old Tamil saying, one can get gold but not Budhankizhamai (Wednesday). Budhhvaar/Budhankizhamai/Wednesday is associated with the Planet Mercury. It takes a little over 87 days for Mercury to go around the Sun. Budhan (Planet Mercury) is part of the navagraha-s in Hindu cosmology. Devi Meenakshi of Madurai is associated with Budhan and people seek her blessings on a Wednesday.

The devotees of Lord Rama recite the famous prayer, “Shudha Brahma Paraatpara Ram,” on Wednesdays. It is good to visit the Swethaaranyeshwarar Temple at Thiruvenkaadu near Mayilaaduthurai on a Wednesday. The deity, Swethaaranyeshwarar, and his consort, Brahmavidyaambikai, are revered in the 7th century canonical work, the ‘Thevaaram.’ This paadal petra sthalam is also a Navagraha Kshetram. The huge Nataraja in this temple is world famous. The imposing temple is known as the Budhan sthalam (The place of Planet Mercury).

The word Wednesday in the Greco-Roman and Indo-European Calendars are known as the day of Woden or Odin and is dedicated to Planet Mercury. Budhan is considered to be associated with an agile mind and memory. Deifying planetary bodies and the astrological significance belongs to the early Vedic period and this is recorded in the Vedas. The earliest work on astrology known as ‘Vedanga Jyothisha’ began to be compiled in the 14th century B. C. One can find reference to this day in ‘Atharvana Veda’ (Prior to 1000 B. C.)

Budha was born to Chandra and Thaara and was brought up by Brihaspathi. He begot pururava-s with Ila. This planet appears in a number of Hindu astronomical text in Sanskrit, ‘Aryabhattia’ by Aryabhatta (5th century), ‘Romaka’ by Latha Deva (6th Century), ‘Kandhakadhyaka’ by Brahmaguptha (7th century), ‘Sishyadhivriddhidatantra’ by Lalla (8th century). These texts talk about the characteristics and the planetary motion of Budhan or Budha. ‘Surya Siddhantha’ is yet another text. The manuscript of these texts exists in slightly different version from the present-day Budha’s motion in the sky. However, they vary in their data, suggesting that the text was open.

It is amazing to see texts like, ‘Surya Siddhantha’ and ‘Siddhantha Shiromani’ giving details about the estimated time per side rear revolution of the moon, and it is much more accurate than the estimation of Ptolemy. Indian science and astronomy had been largely underestimated. The colonial “masters” wanted to loot India, while also giving it the name, “The land of snake-charmers.”

These representations were made to look true in the mid-twentieth century, when Pandit Nehru brought snake-charmers in order to entertain guests from the west. It took more than six decades to dispel this, and image building was left to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has been largely responsible for rebuilding the image of India in a positive manner and today the country is emerging as a Vishwaguru (Guru of the world).

One of the earliest mentions of Budhan as a celestial body appears in the Vedic text, ‘Panchavimsha Brahmana,’ and it appears in other Vedic texts like, the ‘Shathapaatha Brahmana.’ In the Vedas, the Budhan is linked to the three steps of Lord Vishnu. Further studies are being done on the navagraham-s by several astronomers and scholars from India and around the world alike. The contributions of the Sakaa-s are important, for we have the Sakaa era which is part of the Indian calendar.

Wednesdays are considered to be auspicious and important. The colour green is associated with them. People wear green clothes and emeralds in order to receive the grace of Lord Budhan on Wednesdays. Regular chanting of the ‘Budha Shanthi Graha Mantra’ can boost the consciousness of the person, for this planet is associated with wisdom, knowledge, and enlightenment. The ones who succeed in chanting the mantra routinely experience a change in the way they speak. Budhan helps a person to improve the communication skills. It is associated with Lord Krishna. Budhan is also identified as the son of Chandra and Rohini. Hence, he is also known as Soumya or Rauhineya.

Budhan is mounted on a Yazhi (A mythical creature which partly looks like a lion, elephant, and a horse). His skin has a greenish tinge. He holds a scimitar, a club, a mace or a shield in three of his hands and the fourth hand represents the abhaya mudra. Five is the number associated with Budhan. Lord Budhan is a deity and a planet. It is auspicious to begin things on a Wednesday, for Lord Budhan will bless the work with complete success.

It is good to visit Devi Meenakshi of Madurai on a Wednesday. Budhan at the Thiruvenkaadu Swetharanyeeshwarar Temple will bless the devotees who visit him on a Wednesday.

Mr. Rajesh Govindarajulu is one of the founding members of the Verandah Club Pvt. Ltd. He is a leading columnist, historian, jeweler, entrepreneur, and a heritage enthusiast who is earnestly working to revive the past in the light of the present. Experiential learning about the history of Coimbatore is his main course of interest and he is also a panel member of many colleges in the city.