Today 17 July - Dakshinyana Punyakalam, Karkidaka Masam [Kerala] and Aadi Matham [Tamil Nadu]
Raman K
The Month of karkidakam
Its changing traditions
Long ago, and
far away, for the farming community of rural Kerala, the month of
karkkidakam with its torrential rains was a period of confinement and
forced rest. While rains nourished the tender paddy in the fields, the
people took care of their houses and themselves. As Mother Nature began
her cleaning spree the women folk followed her habit. From among the
plants they gathered leaves that served like wet sandpaper and cleaned
the dirt from doors and windows, ritual objects and low wooden stool,
their only furniture. And the wooden things gleamed in its natural
grains. For, painting and varnishing was unheard of among rustic folk.
Most of the houses had thatched roofs; only the rich lived in tiled
ones. Karkkidakam was the month of sacred rituals, ancestral worship
and healthcare.
Women and children gathered the customary herbs associated with worship
in temples and herbal medicine. It was a practical lesson too. One
learned to identify the herbs while hearing stories connected with
their beneficial use as home remedies. Ancient wisdom was handed over
by word of mouth from time immemorial.
On the evening
prior to the samkramam there was a ritual ceremony of packing the
Chetta, the presiding spirit over dirt, off. Women with broom went
around cleaning and dusting and driving out the Dirty thing that hid in
corners. Basically, it was a thorough cleansing before the twilight.
For children, the ritual meant a serious part of life. In olden times
life was ritual-driven. Women and children spent hours gathering sacred
plants for the special offering.
For the first
ten days of the month of karkidakam, Sreebhagavathy, the goddess
received the traditional offerings. In front of the Machu, the
household shrine, there was a display of dasapushpam, the ten sacred
plants in a gleaming brass plate, water in a bell metal pot with a
spout, valkannadi, a mirror of polished brass, sandal paste and
vermillion, before a lighted lamp. The sacred corner glowed like the
sanctum sanctorum at dawn.
The Ramayna was also kept
there. In the mornings the oldest member of the family sat reading the
Ramayana in a singsong style. After their morning bath girls and women
would apply kajal to their eyes and have a bindi of mukkutti chanthu,
the juice of a crushed herb.
Married daughters came
home for their annual health care. A medicinal porridge was specially
prepared for the entire family. The old and the middle-aged had their
herbal concoction, an annual preventive doze for rheumatic ailments.
The bulls were given special diet as part of the agrarian economy and
past time.
At twilight after the lighting of the bell-metal
lamp, children sat around reciting prayers. Night fell soon in those
pre-electricity days.
The dead were invoked on the day of the
new moon. In kerala ancestral worship is part of religion just as
animism has prevailed, although in pockets. The people were taught to
sense the divine in plants, animals and spirits; to feel the sacred
thread that runs through Nature; to know that humans are part of a
divine design; to accept the need for harmony with their surroundings,
to carry on the heritage of the past to the present.
The end of karkkidaka would complete the reading of the whole Ramayana.
So Karkkidaka is known as the month of Ramayana as well. Even now a
few, who cannot root out their roots, follow the tradition. But, for
the majority, the ritual is a temple-centered community affair now.
Dhanwanthari is the patron saint of Ayurveda, Indian medicine. In the
month of Karkkidaka the prasad given here is mukkidi, the juice
extracted form medicinal plants. Having a doze of this juice daily for
a month in the rainy season was the traditional preventive antidote for
a year's epidemics.
Change inevitable, has affected
kerala and its traditions. Today, a wholesome tradition is reduced to
a ritual for the first day of the month of Karkkidaka. The Ramayana
resonates in the air because of the amplifier at the temple. Herbal
medicines are available in powder form in shops. The agrarian life is
replaced by consumer culture. And elephants enjoy Sukha-chikilsa. The
torrent has receded from the plains. Yet the Monsoon meditates in the
rain forests of the Western ghat that overlooks the Arabian Sea.
Malayalam knowing and tose who want to see nice rain scenery's photos etc can visit this link
In Tamil Nadu:
Aadi pandigai
Recipes
Greetings
This festival is celebrated for the birth of the tamil month of aadi. A lot of festivals are celebrated in the month of aadi. This is the beginning of all the festivals during the festival season. Once aadi festival starts all other festivals follow one by one. During the month of thai and aadi the sun changes directions so it is celebrated in that way.
Aadi festival is special for various ammans. It is celebrated in a special way in temples like mangadu, kamakshi temple etc. All sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays of this month are auspicious.
Every Friday is celebrated as "Aadi Velli". On the first Friday we make kozhukkattai for Lord Ganesha.
We make
coconut milk payasam on fridays.
The new moon day of this month is celebrated as "Aadi
Amavasai" which is to remeber our ancestors who have reached God. That
day donations will be made.
The pooram star of this month is celebrated as "aadi
pooram" as the birthday of Aandal. It is celebrated in all temples in a
grand manner
The 18th day of this month is celebrated as "Aadi
perukku" or "Pathinettam perukku". Since rain flows in this month, the
rivers are filled with water. Water is also given from dams to
agriculturists.On this day, we prepare all varieties of rice and vadams
etc. taking all to nearby river or beach with friends and give them
manjal kunkum, vetrilai pakku, clothes etc
This done to praise Goddeess Cauveri (Cauvery river). It is to thank
all the rivers because they provide water.
On this day we take head bath and go to temples. We listen to Amman songs.
Festivals in the month of Aadi
Aadi Pirappu.
According to the Tamil calendar, Aadi is the fourth month of the year. The first day of this month, usually falling on July 16-17, is celebrated as Aadi Pandigai or Aadi Pirappu, which is an important festival to most Tamils, especially newly-weds. The Aagamas and the Vedas ascribe no special significance to the day and so it is seen and celebrated more as a traditional festival.Aadi is also a sacred month. The birth of Aadi itself known as Aadi Pirappu, is important and on that day special food is prepared to herald the month - the aadi kool, a porridge which is served to all who may call on that day. Together with this, Aadi Sevvaai, the Tuesdays in the month of Aadi, Aadi Puram, the Puram asterism in the month of Aadi and Aadi Amaavaasai, the Amaavaasai day in the month of Aadi, are all important days. Despite all these important days, the month of Aadi is considered an inauspicious month for occasions like weddings, housewarming ceremonies etc.
Aadipandigai
This festival is celebrated with great gusto in Tamil Nadu. Mango leaves adorn the door frames and the entrance is decorated with kolams. Women change their yellow thread in their "thali" (Mangalsutra) on this auspicious day. Women of some significant communities in Tamil Nadu carry the custom of adding gold coin(s) to their thali. Some women buy golden ornaments on that day.
The festival is more significant in a household where the daughter is newly married. In Tamil Nadu the newly married daughter is brought to the parent's home by July 15th. It is considered inauspicious for a Tamil family to have the first child (especially if it is to be a boy) born in the month of Chithirai. So the new bride stays in her mother's house for the entire month of Aadi. On Aadi Padhinettu, the son-in-law is invited and given gifts in the form of new clothes, ornaments and sweets. Gold coins will be added to the bride's thali. This custom is strictly observed in most districts of South Tamilnadu. Varieties of rice is the speciality of this day and it is called "Chithranam".
The celebration includes a riverside picnic. Usually families pack "Chithranam" and sport a picnic on the river banks. They make their offering to the river deity. This includes a maavilakku (lamp made with rice flour and jaggery), lit on the mango leaves, accompanied by flowers, turmeric and a yellow thread. The women let the lamps float in the water and allow it to go with the tide in the river. Later the packed "Chithranam" is eaten on the river banks.
"Adi Pooram"
This Hindu festival of Adi Puram is celebrated in all Hindu temples in southern India in the month called Adi or Ashadha, corresponding to the English months of July-August, when the asterism Puram (Delta Leonis) is in the ascendancy. The festival is observed to propitiate the goddess Sakti Devi who is said to have come into this world on this occasion to bless the people. People therefore worship her in order to secure happiness not only for themselves but also for their loved ones.
If the festival falls on a Friday, the occasion is considered to be highly auspicious, and the people worship the goddess in a more special way.
It is said that there are eight Nidhis or Saktis (Forces of nature) in the universe and they are controlled by Devi, the goddess of the Hindus. The eight magical arts, called in Hindu mystic parlance the Ashta Maha Siddhis, are derived from a knowledge of those forces. They are (1) Anima or the art of entering into a foreign body, (2) Mahima or the art of increasing the bulk of one's body, (3) Garuna or the art of rendering small things tremendously ponderous, (4) Laghima or the art of lifting with ease the largest and the heaviest substances, (5) Prapti or the art of gaining access through a small hole to Brahma's heaven, (6) Prakamya or the art of transubstantiating and entering into various worlds of tenuous matter, procuring all things needful from these and ascertaining the localities of various substances, (7) Isatwam the art of creating, protecting and destroying the world as well as rendering the planets obedient to the will, and (8) Vasitwam the art of bringing all created beings under subjection including Indra and the various gods.
The eight Nidhis are also called by eight different names with characteristics peculiar to each. The Nidhi called Padma is said to be presided over by Lakshmi and people attaining this Nidhi secure prowess and skill in warfare and also command the wealth of all mortals. The Nidhi going by the name Mahapadma secures the command over all precious gems in the universe. It is meant for one having yogic tendencies in him. The Nidhi named Makara shapes the character of the individual and secures for him success in military operations and royal favour. The Nidhi called Kachapa brings success in all business undertakings and makes the individual the beloved of one and all. While the Nidhi Mukunda develops fine aesthetic instincts in the individual, and the one called Nanda secures for him good harvest and immunity from wants. The Nidhi called Nila is said to lead to all sorts of enjoyments and the one named Sanka ensures self-realization and eternal bliss. The two Nidhis Sanka and Padma confer mundane enjoyments and heavenly bliss on individuals. The wealth secured by Padma Nidhi makes worldly enjoyments possible and the yogic powers conferred by Sanka Nidhi result in bliss arising from self-realization. As these two Nidhis control the other Nidhis, sculptural representations of only these two Nidhis are placed at the sides of temple entrances in southern India.
In a portico called 'Ashta Siddhi Mandapam' in Madurai, we have sculptural representations of these eight Siddhis or Saktis. The reason is that Sri Sundareswara, the presiding deity of the Madurai Temple, is said to have manifested these powers to the people of this world on one occasion. The details of the incident are given in a book called 'Halasya Mahatmiyam', also called 'Tiruvelayadal Puranam' in Tamil. Sixty-four miracles performed by Sri Sundareswara are recorded in this work.
According to a myth, the goddess of the universe took a human form on the Adi Puram day in a miraculous manner. A Vaishnava saint called Periyalwar of Srivilliputtur had no issues. He prayed to the goddess Lakshmi for children and she fulfilled his wish in the following manner. Alwar was ploughing his fields one-day when he came upon a lovely female child while turning the first furrow. Delighted at the precious find, he hastened to his home with it. He gave it to his wife, and named it Andal. The presiding deity of Srirangam temple, Sri Ranganath, is said to have accepted Andal as his wife when she grew up.
The festival is observed with great eclat in the temples of Madurai, Sriviliiputtur, Tinnevelly, Vedaranyam, Negapatam, Jambukeswaram, Tiruvadi, Kumbakonam, Tiruvadaimarudhur, Mayavaram, Srivanjiyam and Tiruvannamalai. In the famous religious centre Chidambaram also, this Puram festival is observed not in the month Adi (July-August), but in the month Arpisi (November). The observance is said to be rather unique. There is also an inscription in the west gopuram of the temple and it is dated Saka 1517. The village called Poorappettai is mentioned in connection with the observance of this festival as stated above.
It is noteworthy that all festivals are held only once in a year and no festival is held twice. All the important festivals are observed throughout the country at the same time. As the religious festivals of the Hindus are closely connected with the movements of the stars and planets, correct information regarding the time at which the observation should take place is highly essential if at all the observances are to be efficacious. Hence great stress is laid on the accuracy of the information to be recorded in the Hindu almanacs or Panchangams by the astronomers.
As several systems of computation have arisen with the lapse of time, some following the heliocentric system, and some following the geocentric system and so on, differences of opinion have also arisen regarding the time of the observance of Hindu rites and ceremonies. But the principle on which these observances are based is the same and we find no differences in opinion in this regard. Further, in the observance of most of the important religious festivals, we find no differences of opinion among the astronomers.
The Vedas and the Agamas say that the performance of a definite number of religious festivals is essential for the welfare of a country. The number of such festivals varies with the different sects of Hindus. It is recorded in the second prakara of Sri Thagaraja temple at Tiruvarur in Tanjore that fifty-six festivals are to be observed every year.
Is Aadi considered inauspicious?
Aadi rings in joy and fervour as the crowd gear up shopping from dawn to dusk through out the month. The shops are filled with men and materials where the best deals are offered during Aadi sale. But, isn't Aadi considered inauspicious? Well, it is considered so as the six-month period which starts from Aadi to Marghazhi are the nighttime for the Devas. Therefore, marriages, upanayanams and house warming ceremonies are not performed during this season, as the blessings of the Devas cannot be invoked.
Since marriages are generally not performed during Aadi, the marriage halls wear a deserted look. Moreover, certain sects of the Tamil community have the practice of separating the newly married couples during Aadi. This is because, when a lady conceives during Aadi, the child's birth would be in Chithirai (April-May), which is peak summer, causing problems during child's birth.
But haven't we heard that Aadi is considered as the month of the Goddess? Yes indeed, this month is considered as the month of the goddess, where the temples are crowded during Aadi. In fact Aadi kick starts a series of festivals that goes on up to the Tamil month of Marghazhi. The period from Aadi to Marghazhi is known as Dakshinayana punyakalam. Aadi Pooram is celebrated with pomp and gaiety. It is believed that Andal, wife of Vishnu was born on this day. The Aadi Perukku festival is celebrated on the eighteenth day of Aadi to pay obeisance to the river Kaveri.
The river is generally in full flow on these days. People living around the Kaveri delta region prepare special food on this day and spend time out with the family. It is considered auspicious to take a dip in the sea on Aadi Amavaasai. Women observe vritha and perform pooja on Varalakshmi pooja, which falls on the same month. The Chathurmasya period (four months) commences from Aadi where saints and sages generally spent their time performing pooja and avoid travelling. The farmers also look forward to this month, as it is considered the best month for sowing seeds. "Aadi pattam thedi vidhai", is a famous Tamil proverb that conveys this meaning.
In the olden days the period from Aadi to Marghazhi was utilized to make the preparatory work for marriages to be performed in Thai. So Aadi certainly has a lot to offer. And with the Tamil community spreading throughout the globe, and with the increasing demand for marriage halls, the day is not far off when marriages would be performed during Aadi.
Who knows, marriage hall owners may also offer discounts during this month, and the realtors may also offer special discounts for flat bookings during Aadi! So watch out, for best deals are in the offing.Our festivals are associated with eating varieties of things
Aadi delicacies
Aadi is a very significant month for the Tamilians as it starts off a series of festivals. And festivals remind us of sumptuous food and special delicacies. Is your mouth watering already! Well try tasting these items this Aadi.
Aama Vada
Ask anyone in Tamil Nadu, what their favourite dish is? The instantaneous reply would be "Vada", be it medhu vada, Aama vada, onion vada, rasa vada, thayir vada, sambar vada or keera vada. If you want delicious and crispy vada, the right choice is Aama vada, which is made of Bengal gram dhal, thoor dhal, urad dhal, red chillies, asafoetida, salt and curry leaves. Vadas are so tempting that even the diet conscious person wouldn't mind having two or three vadas.
Coconut Milk Payasam [ Keer]
Grind coconut and squeeze milk from it 2 times. cook for sometime having the stove in low heat. Add jaggery and cardomom powder. cook for some more time. After removing from stove, add milk. Fry some cashews in ghee and add it to the payasam. If the coconut powder is very dry then you must have 2 cups of that to get enough coconut milk.
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Vani Nalliah
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Beauty.In.Making