Thiruvathirai Festival .

Courtesy:Sri.S.Ramaswamy

Thiruvathira festival - celebrated as the birthday of Lord Shiva

The Thiruvathira Festival falls due in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December,January ).This year's Thiruvathira is on January,13th,Friday.2006.The people of Kerala celebrate this festival with great Joy and respect.The Festival is connected with Lord Shiva.The Ardradarshan celebrated in Tamilnadu and a few parts of karnataka corresponds to Thiruvathira of Kerala.It is considered to worship Lord Shiva ,and the devotees go early morning to temples.There is some celebrations at our homes also.

Tradition has it that Thiruvathira festival is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Shiva.Another story is connected with the death of kamadeva the mythological God of Love from the angry  look of Lord Shiva from his "Thrikkannu". 

In Kerala the festival Thiruvathira is most important among Nair and Nampoothiri families,especially celebrated by their women.They wake up early in the day and after bath they sing Thiruvathira songs mostly related to Lord Shiva.In conclusion they Stand in a circle and making dance also.The first Thiruvathira coming after the marriage among the above casts ,known as  "poothiruvathira" and they celebrate the same in a grand manner.  

Thiruvathira exclusively for Womenfolk,for which we cannot see any where outside in indian society.At Night time Women perform Thiruvathirakali or Kaikottykali.They stand in a circle around a lighted lamp and dance each step at the rythem of the songs they sing by clapping their hands.There is a custom called "Pathirappochoodal"means wearing flowers at midnight.Oonjalattam is also an important item on this Occassion.

In Tamilnadu,Ardradarshanam,is celebrated similar to Thiruvathira in Kerala.Chidambaram in Tamilnadu is one of the most celebrated Shrines in the world.It is of Great religious  as well as Historic and Cultural Significance.Chidambaram is associated with Lord Shiva,(Mostly known as Nataraja in his "Ananda Natana Pose" ).The temple works is done by "Manikkavachakar",and is in full praise of Shiva at Chidambaram.Chidambaram  is one of the ancient temples of Tamilnadu. Shiva is said to have revealed a vision of his Dance ( Nataraja Nrutham)here in front of his devotees and to all Deva's   here.It is in the Thiruvathira day ,Shiva appeared in front of "Nandanar" who was a great devotee of Shiva and gave him Mokshaprapthi.Nandanar was ,Scheduled tribe in his caste,and have restrictions to enter in the temples at that period.So he stood always outside the temple and made his prayers.Due to his faith in Lord Shiva,he got darshan and blessing

Thiruvathirai Kavathu Poduthuval Recipe

Yields: 4 cups
Preparation Time – 20 minutes
Pressure Cooking time for kavathu and peas – 2 whistles
Pressure Cooking time for avarakkai – 1 whistle

INGREDIENTS
Kavathu (Yam Retalu) – 3 cups (diced roughly – chethinathu)
Avarakkai – 1 cups (3/4 inch long pieces)
Green Peas – 1 cup
Water – 3 cups (enough to just immerse the vegetables while pressure cooking them)
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Green Chilli – 3 to 4 nos
Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Tempering Mixture
Oil – 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1/2 tbsp
Curry Leaves – 3 to 4 nos
Seasoning
Coconut Oil – for sprinkling over

PROCEDURE

Remove the skin of kavathu and chop into rough dices.
Cut the avarakkai into 3/4 inch long pieces.
Pressure cook the kavathu and green peas together with 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and water for 2 whistles.
Pressure cook the avarakkai with water and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder for 1 whistle.
In a saute pan, add the cooked vegetables, slit green chillies and salt and mix well and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add grated coconut to the mixture.
Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add urad dal and curry leaves.
Once the urad dal turns light brown. pour over the vegetables.
Sprinkle a little coconut oil over the poduthuval for the aroma.
Serve with kali.

Posted in Authentic Palakkad Dishes, Festivals, Neivedhyams, Poduthuval/Poriyal/Thoran, Side Dishes.Tagged avarakkai, coconut, coconut oil, curry leaves, green chilli, green peas, kali, kavathu, mustard seeds, oil, peas, salt, thalagam, thiruvadira, thiruvadirai, thiruvathirai, turmeric powder, urad dal, water,yam retalu.

Thiruvathirai Thalagam Recipe

 

Yields: 4 cups
Preparation Time – 20 minutes
Pressure Cooking time for vegetables – 2 whistles

INGREDIENTS
Tamarind – 1 gooseberry size
Jaggery – 1 inch square piece
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
7 Vegetables
Kavathu (Yam Retalu) – 1/2 cup (diced)
Yellow Pumpkin / Mathan – 1/2 cup (diced)
Avarakkai – 1/2 cup (diced)
Sweet Potato / Chakaravalli Kizhangu – 1/2 cup (diced)
Chenai / Suran / Yam – 1/2 cup (diced)
Raw Plantain (Vazhakkai) / Carrot / Potato / Peas (Any 2) – 1/2 cup (diced)
Grinding Mixture
Toor Dal / Split Pigeon Peas – 2 tbsp
Sesame Seeds / White Til – 1 tbsp
Red Chilli – 5 or 6 nos
Grated Coconut – 1 cup
Oil – 1 tbsp
Tempering Mixture
Oil – 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 2 tsp
Urad dal – 2 tsp
Curry Leaves – a sprig

PROCEDURE

In a saute pan, fry the toor dal and sesame seeds in 1 tbsp of oil.
Once the mixture turns a light red color, add red chillies and take off of heat and keep aside.
Fry the grated coconut in 1 tsp of oil till it turns slight goldenish color.
Grind the grated coconut and the dal mixture together to form a smooth paste and keep aside.
Wash the vegetables and cut them into rough cubes.
Pressure cook the vegetables adding tamarind water, turmeric powder and salt for 2 whistles.
Add the ground masala and jaggery to the cooked vegetables and boil together and keep aside.
To temper, heat 2 tsp of oil and add mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the urad dal and fry until the dal turns light brown.
Add curry leaves to the tempering mixture and pour over the vegetable gravy.
Serve with kali.

TIPS

You can also add a little of the Kali rice powder to the grinding mixture to make the gravy a little thick.

Posted in Authentic Palakkad Dishes, Festivals, Gravies, Neivedhyams. Tagged avarakkai, carrot,chakaravalli kizhangu, chenai, coconut, curry leaves, green peas, grind, jaggery, kali, kavathu, mathan,mustard seeds, oil, peas, potato, raw plantain, red chilli, salt, sesame seeds, split pigeon pea, suran,sweet potato, tamarind, thalagam, thiruvadira, thiruvadirai, thiruvathirai, toor dal, turmeric powder,urad dal, vazhakkai, white til, yam, yam retalu, yellow pumpkin.

Thiruvathirai Kali Recipe

 
Yields: 2 cups
Preparation Time for Rice Powder – 3 hours
Preparation Time for Kali – 20 minutes
Pressure Cooking time for Dal – 1 whiste

INGREDIENTS
Raw Rice – 3/4 cup
Split Green Gram/Moong Dal/Paasi Paruppu – 1/4 cup
Jaggery – 1 1/2 cup
Water – 2 cups
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Cardamom Powder/Elaichi Powder – 1/2 tsp
Cashew Nuts – 5 to 6 nos
Grated Coconut – 4 tbsp

PROCEDURE

Prepare the rice powder

Soak the rice for about 30 mins to 1 hour.
Strain the rice and spread to dry on a cloth in one single layer. Allow to dry for about 2 hours or until the rice is dry.
Once dried, dry roast the rice in a pan until it turns to an yellowish off-white color.
Let cool.
Once cooled, grind the rice to a coarse powder with broken grains, that is similar in form to Sooji or Rava.

Preparing the kali

Dry roast the moong dal in a pan until it becomes a slight orangish-red color.
Let cool.
Pressure cook the dal for about 1 whistle and keep aside.
In a saute pan, dissolve the jaggery in 2 cups of water.
Strain the jaggery syrup if the syrup contains impurities.
Add a pinch of salt to the syrup and stir.
Mix in the cooked dal and rice powder.
Close the pan with a lid and allow to cook in a low flame (simmer flame), stirring occasionally.
When the kali starts to become thick, like Upma, add the ghee and take off of heat.
Fry the cashew nuts in a 1 tsp of ghee and pour them into the kali.
Mix in cardamom powder and the gratd coconut and mix well.
Offer as neivedhyam and serve.

Posted in Festivals, Neivedhyams, Sweets. Tagged cardamom, cashew nuts, coconut, elaichi, ghee,jaggery, moong dal, paasi paruppu, pressure cooker, rice, salt, split green gram, thiruvadira, thiruvadirai,thiruvathirai, water.

Thiruvathirai or Arudra Darshanam Festival – Recipes Linked

 JANUARY 6, 2012

The Thirvuathirai festival is an important Shaivite festival celebrated in South India. This day is celebrated as Thiruvadirai in Kerala and as Arudra Darshanam in Tamil Nadu. Thiruvathirai falls on the full moon day of the Malayalam month of Dhanu, which also happens to be the day on which the Tamil star of Thirvadirai or Ardra falls in the month of Maargazhi.

Story behind Thiruvathirai

It is believed that this is the day on which Goddess Parvati met Lord Siva, however, there are other legends as well, that say that this is the day on which Lord Siva gives Darshanam as Lord Nataraja, the king of dance. So, devotees celebrate the cosmic dance of the Lord, in the form of the golden red flame.

There are also several other legends behind this day. One of them talks about Nandanar, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. Nandanar was a dalit or untouchable. He always wanted to visit Chidambaram, one of the greatest temples of Lord Shiva. He was worried that he may not be able to enter the temple owing to his caste, however, when he was in front of the temple, he merged with the Lord in a blaze of light, which is celebrated as the Arurdra Darshanam day as Lord Shiva gave his Darshanam to Nandanar on this day. Hence on this day, in Chidambaram, they perform a special Abhishekam for the Lord. On this day, since the Lord is immersed in his Aananda Tandavam, the cosmic dance, they take the Lord on the procession. It is said that, the bamboo sticks on which the Lord is decorated and placed, crack in the power of the Lord's dance, and hence they keep changing the bamboo sticks. The sounds of the cracks are believed to be heard by the people who lift the Lord.

There is also another lesser known legend that goes thus. Once, when the Lord Shiva and Ambal (Goddess Parvati) were in procession, the Lord smiled at some woman in the crowd, which annoyed Ambal and she was angry on their return to the temple. Apparently, this fight was an entertainment for Ganesha. He runs between them to amuse Ambal so that she would lose her anger, but it is to no avail. And then Lord Shiva, finally, gives a Sari or Podavai to Ambal through Ganesha, and she finally smiles. This episode or Doothu is still conducted in a Shiva temple in Palakkad on this particular day (Thiruvadira) after the procession of the Vishwanathar and Visalakshi Ambal there.

Regional Celebrations

In Kerala, on this day, Brahmin and Nair women perform the Thiruvathirakali dance in a circular formation around a nilavilakku similar to the Kaikottikali. Married women fast on this day for their husband's well being and the unmarried women fast to get a good husband. In Tamil Nadu also, this festival is usually observed by Brahmin women.

Neivedhyams

On this day, most families prepare the following and offer as neivedhyam on a plantain leaf.

Kali
Thalagam (7 vegetable dish)
Kavathu Poduthuval
Betel Leaves (Vethillai)
Betel Nuts (Paaku)
Banana

Procedure

First, the women take hair bath and tie the 9 yards saree (if married Brahmin woman) or the kasavu (if Malayali).
They put the kolam outside their house and at the God's place (usually, they will put the "naalu moolu kolam" which is made of 4 lines in the four directions). One naalu moolai kolam will be put in front of the God's place (on which the plantain leaf for the God will be placed), and one naalu moolai kolam across the first one, for each woman/girl in the house (on which their indivdual plantain leaf will be placed).
They light the lamp at the God's place, say their daily prayers etc.
They prepare the neivedhyams.
They place one plantain leaf near the God's place, and one plantain leaf for each woman or girl in the household, in front of the first plantain leaf.
They keep the vethillai paaku and pazham in each Elai or plantain leaf.
They put a little of the kali, thalagam and poduthuval on the leaf.
They do neivedhyam using the water in a Panchapaathram, and first offer the food in the first plantain leaf to the God, and then do the same with the food in the other plantain leaf/leaves.
They do namaskarams to the God and pray for the well being of their husband, if married, or if un-married, they pray to get a good husband.
They eat the prasadam, which is the food on the individual leaf.