Nolumbu special - Recipe for Sweet Karadai and Salted Karadai

 

 

Karadayan Nombu falls on Sunday,14^th March, this year and according to learned priests the time specified for tying the yellow thread is between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm. Celebrated by the people of Tamil Nadu, married women perform puja and pray for the long life of their husbands and unmarried girls pray for getting blessed with a good husband. The puja is performed at a specified time, just when the Tamil month of Maasi ends and the month of Panguni begins.

 

Tradition

On this day the women get up early in the morning, take bath and decorate their house entrance and the puja room with kolams. They place leaves in front of the Goddess on which they offer betel leaves and areca nuts (Vethalai Pakku), yellow bananas, sweet Karadai and butter. Traditionally, the women fast until the specified time of the puja, wear nine yards sari, adorn their hair with flowers, tie the manjal charadu (yellow thread) and pray for the long life of their husbands.

 

 While tying the manjal charadu, the mantram chanted is

 

“Dhram gruhnami subhage sahardhraam

Dharami aham bharthu

Ayushya sidhartham supreedha bhava sarvadha”  

This means, “I am taking the thread, Oh Goddess, with affection,

And I am wearing it for the long life of my husband.

Always be pleased with me.”

 

The Tamil chant during the puja while offering the Karadai to the Goddess is

“Urugadha vennaiyum, oru adaiyum notrein,

Orukkalum en Kanavar ennai piriyadhirukka vendum”

Meaning “I offer this unmelted butter and adai. Please bless me to live with my husband forever.”

Generally the women break their fast by eating the prasad of sweet karadai with butter after they have performed the puja and offered it to the Goddess.

 

Recipe for Sweet Karadai also known as Nolumbu Adai

 

Ingredients

 

Dry roasted rice powder - 1 cup

Jaggery powdered -  1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Coconut slices - 1 tablespoon

Karamani (Black eyed peas/ lal chowli) - 1 or 2 tablespoons     

Cardomom - 1 pinch

Ghee - 1 teaspoon

 

Method of preparation

Wash and soak raw rice in water for 3 to 4 hours. Drain the water and spread the rice on a cloth for 15 minutes. Then grind it to a fine powder. Dry roast this powder till there is no moisture.

 

Cook the Karamani separately till soft and keep aside.

 

Take a pan and melt the jaggery in 2 cups of water. Filter to remove dirt or impurities. Add the fine small sliced coconut pieces, the Karamani and boil. When the jaggery water starts boiling, add a teaspoon of ghee. the cardomom powder and then the roasted rice powder while stirring continuously till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Off the burner and allow it to cool.

Roll the mixture into balls, flatten them and make holes in the middle as shown in the picture. Now steam the sweet karadais in an idli cooker for 15 minutes.

Your sweet Karadai is ready to serve with butter.

 

The recipe for Salted Karadai

 

Ingredients

Dry roasted rice powder

Salt to taste

Karamani - 1 or 2 tablespoons

Coconut slices

 

Seasoning

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon

Udad dal - 1/4 teaspoon

Curry leaves - a few

Green chilli - 1 or 2 finely chopped

Ginger - a small piece finely chopped.

Asefoetida - a pinch

 

Method of Preparation

 

Prepare the rice powder and cook the karamani in the same way as for the sweet Karadai

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add mustard. Let it sputter. Add udad dal, asefoetida, and chopped ginger and green chillies. Then add the curry leaves. Now add the coconut finely sliced and karamani. Add water and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil. When the water starts boiling, lower the flame and add the rice powder slowly and stir continuously till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Allow it to cool. Then like the sweet Karadai, divide it into balls, flatten them and carve a hole in the middle of each. Steam these salted adais in an idli cooker or steamer and your salted karadais are ready to serve.

 

For those who want to know more here is the story behind this festival.

 Legend 

The story goes that Maharaja Ashtapathi had a beautiful daughter named Savitri, whom he adored. He knew her to be very intelligent and wise and gave her the freedom of choosing her husband. Savitri, during one of her visits to the forest, came upon a young man who was carrying on his shoulder, his blind parents in two baskets slung on a pole. Savitri was impressed by his sense of duty and respect and decided to marry him. When she informed her father, Ashtapathi enquired about the young man with Narada Muni. Narada informed him that the young man was Satyavan, the son of a king who had been exiled from his own kingdom. Ashtapati was happy about the fact that his daughter had chosen a prince. But then Narada said that Satyavan would die young. He had only one year to live. The King was aghast. But Savitri was set on marrying Satyavan. The King had no option but to get them married. Savitri was well aware about her husband’s impending death. She undertook strict vrats and performed pujas with dedication. The fateful day dawned. While cutting wood, Satyavan fell dead as Yama, the Lord of Death had arrived. Savitri followed Yama. The God of Death was astonished and pleased by her perseverance. He offered her three boons, and said that she should not ask for her husband. Savitri, being intelligent, agreed. She first asked that her in laws should be reinstated in their kingdom with all glory and respect. Her second request was for a son for her father Ashtapathi. For the third boon she asked for sons for herself. Yama said “Granted” and then realized that he had been outwitted by her intelligence, as he had to leave Satyavan alive for Savitri to beget sons.  The time of Karadayan Nombu is believed to be the time when Savitri performed puja, offered the Karadai to Lord Yama and got her husband back from death. Thus the offering of the delicious Karadai, both sweet and salted, is unique to this festival.

 

#KaradayanNombu #festival #SweetKaradai #SaltedKaradai #recipe #TamilNadu #SavitriVrat, #Nolumbu #Savitri #Satyavan #legend

 

 

 

 

 

 

#AadiPandigai/ #AadiPirappu – #cultural and #religious #significance of the #AadiMasam in #TamilNadu #Festival 8

Everywhere in TamilNadu, there are posters and announcements of Aadi thallupadi. These indicate heavy discounts for shoppers through the month on almost all items including clothes, jewellery, electronic items and consumer goods. But though the month is a shopper’s delight, it is not the only thing which makes the month of Aadi significant. There are cultural and religious intonations galore, what with a plethora of festivals included in the religious itinerary for the month.

AadiPirappu (16^th July 2020) marks the beginning of the Dakshinayana punyakalam (the night of the Devas) which lasts till the end of the month of Margazhi. Beautiful Kolams are drawn in front of the house and entrances are decorated with maavelai thoranam. A visit to a nearby temple is followed by a feast which includes delicious payasam and vadai.   Aadi Pandigai is of special significance to newly married couples. They are invited to the bride’s home to partake in an elaborate luncheon and are presented with new clothes and other gifts.

Aadimasam is said to be dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Amman. Devotees perform the sacred Bhagavathi Sevai puja either in their homes or in the temples. Tuesdays and Fridays of the month, (Aadi Chevvai and Aadi Velli) are extremely significant for worship. Devi Mahatmyam, Devi Bhagavatam and Lalitha Sahasranamam are recited with great devotion and fervor. Aadi Pooram (24^th July 2020) is celebrated as the birthday of the Goddess. The famous temples of Madurai Meenakshi Amman, Kanchi Kamakshi Amman, the Aadhiparashakthi Amman temple at Melmaruvathur and Srivilliputhur Andal are full of festivities, as are all other temples in the State dedicated to the Goddess. The celestial union of Mahavishnu as Ranganatha Swami and Goddess Andal (who is believed to be the incarnation of Goddess Mahalakshmi) is celebrated on Aadi Pooram day. In addition, Varalakshmi Vratham (31^st July 2020) is performed to invoke the blessings of Goddess Mahalakshmi.

 The eighteenth day of the month is Padinettam Perukku (2^nd August 2020), the festival, celebrated to honour and thank Mother Nature for her benevolence.   People gather to worship on the banks of the sacred river Cauvery and then have a variety of rice preparations.

 Aadi Krithigai is dedicated to the worship of Lord Murugan. Coincidently, Aadi Krithigai is falling on 16^th July 2020, the same day as Aadi pirappu. Not only that, 16^th July 2020 is also Ekadashi, making it such a spiritually significant day.

Amavasya is Aadi month is special too, as people pay obeisance to departed ancestors at sacred places like the Agnitheertham at Rameshwaram and the confluence of the seas at Kanyakumari.

Aadimasam is significant for devotion, worship and spiritual programs. However, it is considered inauspicious to conduct weddings or have new beginnings during this month.

#AadiPandigai #AadiPirappu #AadiMasam  #TamilNadu #MaduraiMeenakshi #AndalThirukalyanam  #AadiKrithigai #AadiAmavasya

A Visit to the Arulmighu #RatnagiriBalamurugan #Temple in #Vellore, Tamil Nadu #templestories 6

Our visit to the Ratnagiri Balamurugan Temple coincided with a very auspicious day for the worship of Lord Murugan, the Thai Krithigai day. The temple is located around 18 Km from Vellore city on the Vellore-Arcot road, at Thirumanikundram, Kilminnal.  

A beautiful archway welcomes the devotees and one can see the temple tower (Gopuram) from a distance.

The Arulmighu Ratnagiri Murugan Temple

The entrance Arched Gateway

The temple is picturesquely nestled atop a hill called Ratnagiri and a long flight of steps lead to the main sanctum. Many devotees,(especially locals), prefer to climb the steps to have a darshan of their favorite God. However there is also a well maintained roadway leading to the hill top. A spacious parking space ensures that one can park their vehicle safely.

The motorable road leading to the temple

The beauty of the temple tower (gopuram) is enhanced by aesthetically carved sculptures. We entered the temple premises and offered our worship to Lord Vinayaka first. Being Thai Krithigai, there was a heavy rush of devotees, but they were waiting for their chance to have darshan and offer worship in a very orderly queue. It took us more than 45 minutes to reach the sanctum sanctorum. 

The Notice board with the list of pujas and timings

A view of the artistic sculptures on the gopuram

There is a note displaying the various pujas and timings on the way to the sanctum. The main deity is Balamurugan (child Murugan) and the utsava murthi is Shanmugan (Murugan with six heads). The Lord gives darshan to his devotees along with his consorts Devayanai and Valli.  There is a beautiful golden chariot in which the Lord is carried out in procession for circumambulation of the shrine on festival days.

There is a separate exit point from where we come out after darshan and alight a few steps to leave the premises.

The exit point from the sanctum

We were told that the temple was originally a very simple one on top of the hill. It is an ancient temple and there is evidence of its existence prior to the 14^th century as the famous Tamil Saint Arunagirinadhar had mentioned Rathnagiri Murugan in his verses praising the Lord. Devotees of Lord Muruga believe that wherever there is a hill, their Lord will reside on it. Many of the famous Subramanya Swamy temples are on hill tops and Rathnagiri Balamurugan temple is one of them.

It is said that when a devotee went up the hill to worship Lord Muruga, he asked the priest to light camphor for deeparadhana.  The priest said that there was no camphor in the temple. The devotee then asked for at least an incense stick to be lit. But the priest did not have that also. The devotee was really saddened by the dire state of penury at this temple. He fainted. The priest and others tried to bring him to the foothills, by which time he had regained consciousness. He was spiritually awakened and took it upon himself to rebuild the temple to Lord Balamurugan and restore its glory. This significant event took place on 20^th March 1968, and the devotee was called Swami Balamurugan Adimai. The temple in its present grand form has been built by Swami Balamurugan Adimai with the help of the devotees.

The temple is open to devotees for darshan from 6.00 am to 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm.

Skanda Shashti is the most important festival, celebrated at the temple for six days. The Krithigai of every month sees large crowds as does the Shashtis and Pournamis. Panguni Uthiram, Navaratri and the enlightenment day of the Swami on 20^th March are also celebrated with great fervor.

 #Ratnagiri #Vellore #Balamurugan #Temple #TamilNadu #SkandaShashti #Krithigai