Periyava Kural
Margazhi Mahathuvam – திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சி …

On the first day of Margazhi Maasam (Dhanur Maasam), let us listen to what Periyava says about Margazhi and the Mahathuvam of this sacred month… Periyava details about the terms like திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சி உபசாரம், திரு அஞ்ஜனம்…

உஷத் காலம் – மார்கழி மாதம், சாதாரணமாகவே சூரியோதய காலத்தில் பூஜை, தியானம் போன்றவற்றில் ஈடுபடுவது நல்லது. தேவதைகளுடைய உஷத் காலமாக மார்கழி மாதம் அமைந்துள்ளது. அந்த சமயத்தில் பூஜை, பஜனை போன்றவை தவிர வேறெதுவும் செய்யும் பழக்கமே கிடையாது. இந்த மாதம் பக்தி செய்வதற்கே உண்டானது.
-ஸ்ரீ மகாபெரியவா

The month of Maargazhi, which precedes the Uttarayana is the ushah-kaala (the short period just before dawn) for Devas, for whom a human year is one day. Therefore, the period just before dawn in this month is ushah-kaala both for us and for the Devas. So it must be regarded by us as sacred. In Malabar, even today, girls go in batches to a nearby river or tank in the early hours of the morning, all the 30 days of Maargazhi, take their bath, singing the praise of the Lord and return to their homes singing. When Saint Manickavasagar sang the Tiruvembavai, he has recorded that he found women bathing in a spring in Tiruvannamalai in the early hours of the morning. There is a reference in Sangam literature also to girls and young women bathing in tanks early in the morning during this month. In the Bhagavatam, there is a reference that Gopis bathed in the Yamuna and worshipped the Divine Mother in the form of Kaatyaayani, in order that they may obtain Sri Krishna as their husband. Sri Krishna took Rukmini away in his chariot, when she came out of the temple after worshipping Sri Gouri. All these show that this practice of bathing singing the praise of the Lord in the early hours of the morning during this month (Maargazhi or December-January), has come down to us from time immemorial. We must continue this practice. The verses sung may either be the Tiruppaavai or the Tiruvembaavai, according to the faith of the people. Saint Manickavasagar has also composed verses entitled Tiruppalliyezhuchi, or verses for waking up the Lord. The pooja offered in temples before dawn in Maargazhi is known as Tirupakshi. It is obviously an abbreviation or corruption of Tiruppalliyezhuchi.

Article Courtesy : http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/stotra/acharyascall/bookview.php?chapnum=51