Festivals of India: Avani Avittam and Raksha Bandhan

Posted on August 3, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

Today is the festival of Avani Avittam and Raksha Bandhan. Both are festivals which are male centric festivals and which come on the same day each year. I have written about both festivals previously so will not go into the details here. I have always wondered why two diverse festivals – one celebrated in North India and the other mostly in South India, which are possibly the only festivals in the respective cultures which are a celebration of the male gender fall on the same day. Recently I had a ephipany. In both these festivals, the star of the show, if we can call it that, are threads that bind us to our loved ones, to our traditions and to our roots.

During Avani Avittam, which typically falls on the full moon day of the Shravan month, male Brahmin men and boys who have had their thread ceremony done, reaffirm their faith as a twice born and by changing their sacred thread, they symbolically throw away their sins of the previous year and start the year on a clean slate.

The festival is one of the most auspicious festivals for Brahmins and the day is an important one for those who follow the Yajurveda as on this day they start reading Yajur Veda, which they continue to read for the next six months. It is believed that on Avani Avittam, Lord Vishnu has reincarnation himself as Lord Hayagriya, who is seen as the symbol of wealth and knowledge. On this day, God Vishnu who is worshiped as the high deity power actually restored the Vedas to Brahma.

There is a story behind these sacred threads. Lord Brahma, the creator was filled with pride for knowing the entire Veda. Lord Vishnu to crush his pride created two demons Madhu and Kaitabha to steal Vedas from him. Brahma then not being able to save Vedas, he asked Vishnu to help him restore it. Lord Vishnu took the form of Hayagriva and restored the Vedas and supressed the pride of Brahma. Hence, Hayagriva incarnation is associated with knowledge and wisdom.This day is celebrated as Upakarma(Beginning) also called as Hayagriva utpatti. Restoration of Vedas is known as a mark of new beginning and hence Upakarama is celebrated.This day is also referred as Hayagriva Jayanti.

The sacred thread comprises of three strands, joined by a knot known as Brahmagranthi or the knot of Brahma. The three strands symbolise the Hindu trinity – Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. There are other interpretations which represent many of the other triads like Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi and Mahakali; or the three tendencies known as sattva or harmony, rajas or passion and tamas or chaos. You could also interpret the three strands as the link between the past, present and the future or the three states of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep. Some even say that it represents the three dimensions known as heaven or swarga, earth or martyaloka and the nether regions or patala. The sacred thread is also a kind of an indication to the marital status of the wearer. An unmarried man will wear one thread of three stands, a married man will wear two and a married man who has had his first child will wear three. In the old days, when most men did not wear a upper garment, this was the indicator people had about their marital status and if they had any children.

This year, the ceremony of changing the sacred thread was done online at our home. S and BB woke up early and after completing their morning prayers, sat down in front of the laptop where they joined others across the island on a video platform where the resident priest chanted the mantras and went through the ceremony with them. We also received the new sacred thread by post last week after signing up and paying for the ceremony online.

BB had to rush for school, so GG quickly tied her thread of love on his wrist before he headed out of the house.

These are the threads that tie us to our roots and our traditions. I call these ceremonies and functions our anchors because without them, we are left floundering and rootless. Especially in today’s world which is so uncertain and vague, it is good to hold on to traditions that are special to you. Your lineage, irrespective of where you come from, goes back at least a few hundred years, if not millennia, so be proud of who you are and where you come from, so you can show your children and your grandchildren where they can go to.

Happy Raksha Bandhan and Avani Avittam to everyone celebrating these festivals.

Festivals of India: Akshaya Tritiya

Posted on April 27, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

Also known as Akti or Akha Teej, Akshaya Tritiya is an annual spring time festival celebrated by Hindus and Jains. It falls on the third Tithi or lunar day of bright half or Shukla Paksha of the Vaisakha month which falls every year between April and May according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar. It is observed as an auspicious time regionally by Hindus and Jains in India and Nepal, as signifying the “third day of unending prosperity”. The word Akshaya means “never diminishing” as the festival is associated with wealth, prosperity and happiness and Tritiya means third day. This year’s Akshaya Tritiya fell yesterday, April 26. This day is said to be very auspicious if you are planning on starting a new venture as anything started on this day will be successful.

Akshaya Tritiya has lot of religious significance for both Hindus and Jains. This day is the birthday of Lord Parashurama, one of the ten Dashavataras of Lord Vishnu and is also the starting day of Treta Yuga after Satya Yuga. It was on Akshaya Tritiya that the poor Brahmin Sudama offered flattened rice or aval to Lord Krishna, who in turn blessed him with bountiful wealth and happiness. On this day, it is said Lord Krishna gave the Akshaya Patra to Draupadi when the Pandavas started for the Vanavasa, so that they always have food in abundance. The sage Veda Vyasa started writing the epic Mahabharata on this day and it was the day when the holy river Ganges descended upon the Earth. The annual Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra also begins on this day.

It is also belived that the God of Wealth and the treasurer of all deities ‘Kubera’ received his riches and position by praying to Lord Shiva at Shivapuram on Akshaya Tritiya. For the Jains, this day commemorates the day the first Tirthankara, Rishabhdev ended his year-long asceticism by consuming sugarcane juice poured into his cupped hands. Some Jains refer to the festival as Varshi Tapa and on this day, fasting and ascetic austerities are marked by Jains, particularly at pilgrimage sites such as Palitana in Gujarat.

Akshaya Tritiya is considered a very auspicious day because it is a day of manifold blessings. People believe that any good work done on this day will give exponential returns. This is why this day is considered very auspicious to buy gold, silver and precious stones. Goddess Lakshmi signifies wealth and it is said that if one invests in gold, silver or precious stones silver on this day, she will bless you with prosperity and wealth.

This year’s festivities are bound to be very muted because of the COVID-19 panademic worldwide, but if there is just one thing I would pray for on this way would be that we find a cure to this virus soon and things get back to normal!

Leaving you with this Kanakadhara Stotram which Adi Shankaracharya recited for a poor couple on this day at whose house he stopped for Bhiksha or alms and was offered their only available gooseberry. This version of the stotram is sung by the unparalleled M.S Subbalakshmi and is my favourite version.

Festivals of India: Tamil New Year

Posted on April 13, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

Tomorrow is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar and is set in sync with the solar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, as the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai. It therefore falls on or about 14 April every year on the Gregorian calendar. The same day is observed by Hindus elsewhere as the traditional new year, but is known by other names such as Vishu in Kerala, and Vaisakhi or Baisakhi in central and northern India. The Tamil calendar follows a 60-year cycle which is also very ancient and is observed by most traditional calendars of India and China. According to popular belief it is related to 5 revolutions of Jupiter around the Sun, and also to 60-year orbit of Nakshatras or stars as mentioned in Surya Siddhanta. The 2020 Tamil New Year is called Saarvari.

The day is observed as a family time and before this day, households clean up the house, prepare a tray with fruits, flowers and auspicious items, light up the family Puja altar and visit their local temples. People wear new clothes and children go to elders to pay their respects and seek their blessings, then the family sits down to a vegetarian feast.

The Tamil New Year follows the spring equinox and generally falls on 14 April of the Gregorian year. The day celebrates the first day of the traditional Tamil calendar and is a public holiday in both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. The same date is observed as the traditional new year by many Hindus in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Manipur, Tripura, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan as well as by Hindus in Nepal and Bangladesh. Several Buddhist communities in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka also celebrate the same day as their new year, likely an influence of the shared culture between South and Southeast Asia in the 1st millennium. The day is celebrated as Vishu in Kerala, Vaisakhi or Baisakhi in central and north India, Pohela Sankranti in Odisha, Pohela Boishakh in West Bengal, and Bangladesh, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Bikram Samwat or Vaishak Ek in Nepal, Aluth Avuruthu in Sri Lanka as the Sinhalese New Year, Songkran in Thailand, Pi Mai in Laos, Choul Chhnam Khmer in Cambodia and Thingyan in Myanmar

There are several references in early Tamil literature to the April new year. Nakkirar, the Sangam period author of the Neṭunalvāṭai, wrote that the sun travels from Mesha/Chitterai through 11 successive signs of the zodiac. Kūdalūr Kizhaar refers to Mesha Raasi/Chitterai as the commencement of the year in the Puṟanāṉūṟu. The Tolkaapiyam is the oldest surviving Tamil grammar that divides the year into six seasons where Chitterai marks the start of the Ilavenil season or summer. The Silappadikaaram mentions the 12 Raasis or zodiac signs starting with Mesha/Chitterai or roughly Aries as per the western zodiac. The Manimekalai alludes to the Hindu solar calendar as we know it today. Adiyarkunalaar, an early medieval commentator or Urai-asiriyar mentions the twelve months of the Tamil calendar with particular reference to Chitterai. There were subsequent inscriptional references in Pagan, Burma dated to the 11th century and in Sukhothai, Thailand dated to the 14th century to South Indian, often Vaishnavite, courtiers who were tasked with defining the traditional calendar that began in mid-April

On the eve of the New Year or Puthandu, a tray arranged with three fruits (mango, banana and jack fruit), betel leaves and arecanut, gold/silver jewellery, coins/money, flowers and a mirror. This is similar to the Vishu new year festival ceremonial tray in Kerala. According to the Tamil tradition, this festive tray is auspicious as the first sight upon waking on the new year day. Home entrances are decorated elaborately with colored rice powder designs called kolams.

In the temple city of Madurai, the Chitterai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple. A huge exhibition is held, called Chitterai Porutkaatchi. On the day of the Tamil New Year, a big Car Festival is held at Tiruvidaimarudur near Kumbakonam. Festivals are also held at Tiruchirapalli, Kanchipuram and other places.

In Sri Lanka, the Tamils observe the traditional new year in April with the first financial transaction known as the Kai-vishesham. In this transaction children go to elders to pay their respect, and elders give their blessings and gift pocket money to the children in return. The event is also observed with the ‘arpudu’ or the first ploughing of the ground to prepare for the new agricultural cycle. The game of ‘por-thenkai’ or coconut wars between youth is played in villages through the Tamil north and east of the island while cart races are also held. The festive Puthandu season in April is a time for family visits and the renewal of filial bonds. It also coincides with the Sinhalese new year season and so is a time of joy and celebration throughout the island.

During the festive lunch that day, families eat dishes which are a combination of all flavours – sweet, sour, bitter and pungent. This is usually in the form of a mango pachadi or salad since mangoes would have started to come into season by this time. These traditional recipes combining different flavours are a symbolic reminder that one must expect all flavors of experiences in the coming new year, that no event or episode is wholly sweet or bitter, experiences are transitory and ephemeral, and to make the most from them.

In our temple in Matunga, we also have the head priests of the temple reach the annual Panchangam or calendar or alamanc for the coming year. The priest will also interpret any interesting configurations of the stars and planets and let know know which nakshatras or stars and rashis or zodiac signs would likely to be affected or blessed in the coming year. This is only a very general and cursory reading, but is something my parents look forward to each year. This year, with the country under lockdown, they will not be partaking in this activity.

To everyone celebrating their new year these days, here’s wishing you a very Happy New Year and may the coming year put to rest all the calamities of the old year and bring you and your families happiness and prosperity!

Festivals of India: Hanuman Jayanti

Posted on April 8, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

Celebrating the birth of India’s ancient superhero, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on different days in different parts of India. In most states of India, the festival is observed either in Chaitra, usually on the day of Chaitra Pournimaa or in Vaishakha, while in a few states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated in the month Dhanu, also called Margazhi in Tamil. The date of Hanuman Jayanti varies from year to year and across India, various states and communities celebrate it in different times of the year. Communities in South India usually celebrate this festival during the Margazhi month of Moola Nakshathram as that month is believed to be when Hanuman was born. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, however, celebrate Hanuman Jayanti from Chaitra Purnima to the tenth day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Vaishaka. Maharashtra places the holiday on the full moon day during the month of Chaitra.This year, the festival is celebrated today, the 8th of April, across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and across the world where his devotees reside.

Also known as Sankatmochan, Dukhbhanjan, Maruti Nandan or Pawanputra, Lord Hanuman is an ardent devotee of Lord Sri Rama and is widely known for his unflinching devotion to Sri Rama. He is said to be able to assume any form at will, wield the mace or gada as well as many other celestial weapons, lift and move mountains, dart through the air, seize the clouds and equally rival Garuda in the swiftness of flight. Hanuman is seen as a symbol of strength and energy and also someone to turn to when a devotee is in difficulty.

On Hanuman Jayati, devotees of Lord Hanuman celebrate him and seek his protection and blessings. They flock to temples to worship him and present religious offerings. In return, The devotees receive Prasad or the holy offering by the temple priests as sweets, flowers, coconuts, tilak, sacred ash and holy water. People also celebrate him on this day by reciting various devotional hyms and prayers like the Hanuman Chalisa and reading holy scriptures like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Lord Hanuman is said to be the epitome of belief, trust and devotion. On this day, devotees pray to imbibe these qualities in their lives and lead a principled life.

Lord Hanuman was born on the Anjaneri mountain. His mother Anjana was an apsara who was born on earth due to a curse. She was redeemed from this curse on giving birth to a son. The Valmiki Ramayana states that his father Kesari was the son of Brihaspati, he was the King of a place named Sumeru. Anjana performed intense prayers lasting 12 long years to Shiva to get a child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the son they sought. Hanuman, in another interpretation, is the incarnation or reflection of Shiva himself.

Hanuman is often called the son of the deity Vayu or the Wind God; several different traditions account for the Vayu’s role in Hanuman’s birth. One story mentioned in Eknath’s Bhavartha Ramayana from the 16th century which states that when Anjana was worshiping Shiva, the King Dasharatha of Ayodhya was also performing the ritual of Putrakama yagna in order to have children. As a result, he received some sacred pudding or payasam to be shared by his three wives, leading to the births of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. By divine ordinance, a kite snatched a fragment of that pudding and dropped it while flying over the forest where Anjana was engaged in worship. Vayu, the Hindu deity of the wind, delivered the falling pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana, who consumed it. Hanuman was born to her as a result. Another tradition says that Anjana and her husband Kesari prayed Shiva for a child. By Shiva’s direction, Vayu transferred his male energy to Anjana’s womb. Accordingly, Hanuman is identified as the son of the Vayu

Another story of Hanuman’s origins is derived from the Vishnu Purana and Naradeya Purana. Narada, infatuated with a princess, went to his lord Vishnu, to make him look like Vishnu, so that the princess would garland him at swayamvara or the husband-choosing ceremony. He asked for ‘Hari Mukh’ (Hari is another name of Vishnu, and mukh means face). Vishnu instead bestowed him with the face of a vanara. Unaware of this, Narada went to the princess, who burst into laughter at the sight of his ape-like face before all the king’s court. Narada, unable to bear the humiliation, cursed Vishnu, that Vishnu would one day be dependent upon a vanara. Vishnu replied that what he had done was for Narada’s own good, as he would have undermined his own powers if he were to enter matrimony. Vishnu also noted that Hari has the dual Sanskrit meaning of vanara. Upon hearing this, Narada repented for cursing Vishnu. But Vishnu told him not to repent as the curse would act as a boon, for it would lead to the birth of Hanuman, an avatar of Shiva, without whose help Rama (Vishnu’s avatar) could not kill Ravana.

Lord Hanuman is best known for his role in the epic poem and sacred text the Ramayana, which tells the story of the divine Prince Rama. Rama was sent into exile unjustly by his stepmother, Kaikeyi. While in exile, Rama’s wife, Sita, is abducted by the demon Ravana. Much of the epic poem is devoted to Rama’s determined quest to rescue Sita from Ravana. Rama successfully recovers Sita and kills Ravana with the help of the vanara or his monkey army. Rama and Sita return to the kingdom of Ayodhya and usher in a golden age of humanity. Rama, the titular character of the Ramayana, is identified as an incarnation, or avatara, of the god Vishnu.

Hanuman plays a central role in the Ramayana, and his stories are nearly always tied to those of Prince Rama, also called Lord Ram. Even before Hanuman’s birth, it was predicted that he would be a devotee of Lord Ram. After he was born, Hanuman was a trouble maker who, among other feats of mischief, tried to grab the sun from the sky. In response, powerful sages cursed Hanuman and made him forget his magic powers. Hanuman became a loyal servant to Rama and a commander of Rama’s legions of monkeys. The memory of his powers was restored to Hanuman by Jambavan, the king of the bears, and as a result, Hanuman made a giant leap across the strait that lies between India and Sri Lanka, called the Palk Strait today, to steal the medicinal herbs necessary to heal the wounded in Rama’s army. When Hanuman struggled to identify the herbs, he picked up the entire mountain and brought that back to India. Before Hanuman left Sri Lanka, his tail was set on fire. Hanuman, however, used this fire to burn Sri Lanka to the ground.

Hanuman is held up as the embodiment of loyalty and devotion and these admirable traits are recognized year round at temples dedicated to Hanuman and given special attention during Hanuman Jayanti. During Hanuman Jayanti, Hindus take an early morning holy bath and either attend temples dedicated to Hanuman or perform puja at home if they have their own shrine dedicated to Hanuman. The Hanuman Chalisa is read in order to conquer evil spirits and provide mental peace to those reading and listening. People apply red powder to their foreheads in an echo of how Hanuman covered his whole body in sindoor to ensure Rama’s immortality. There is an interesting legend to why Hanuman covered his body with Sindoor. As per the legend, when Lord Hanuman found Sri Sita applying sindhūr to her forehead, He questioned her and she replied that doing so would ensure a long life for her husband, Lord Sri Rama. Lord Hanuman then proceeded to smear his entire body with sindhūr, thus ensuring Lord Sri Rama’s immortality.

Hanuman is also celebrated as a symbol of devotion, strength, magical powers and energy and also as the 11th Rudra avatara of the great god Shiva. Many devotees pray to Hanuman to be blessed with bravery, intelligence and loyalty like that which Hanuman displayed.

Hanuman is a popular god among Hindus, and his temples are often filled with monkeys who know that humans cannot harm them so long as they are on temple grounds. Hindus, however, are not the only ones who recognize Hanuman. Hanuman also appears in Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism as well as in Indian pop culture.

Hanuman has been honored for millennia, and that fact has not changed in the modern age. Thousands still flock to his temples and wear sindoor in recognition of his devotion to Rama. Hanuman himself would likely be pleased with this. There is, after all, something perfect about the determined loyalty of Hindus to the god who was known for his faithfulness.

Here’s the divine voice of the late singer M.S. Subbalakshmi reciting the Hanuman Chalisa to end this blog post!

Festivals of India: Gudi Padwa

Posted on March 25, 2020 by memoriesandsuch

Spring is in the air and this means that various Indian communities will start celebrating their new year. The first is usually Gudi Padwa, a spring-time festival that marks the traditional new year for Marathi and Konkani Hindus. It is celebrated in and near Maharashtra and Goa on the first day of the Chaitra month to mark the beginning of the New year according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar. The word Padwa comes from the Sanskrit word Pratipada, which refers to the first day of a lunar fortnight. The festival is observed with colorful floor decorations or rangoli, a special Gudi flag which is garlanded with flowers, mango and neem leaves and topped with an upturned silver or copper vessel, street processions, dancing and festive foods.

Gudi Padwa marks end of one harvest season and beginning of a new one for farmers and so is also celebrated as a harvest festival in the region. On this day the position of the Sun is above the point of intersection of the equator, which according to the Hindu calendar marks the commencement of the Spring Season.

In India, this day which is the first day of the bright phase of the moon is called Gudi Padwa in Marathi, Ugadi in Telugu, and Yugadi in Kannada. The Sindhi community celebrates this day as Cheti Chand as the new year and observed as the emergence day of Lord Jhulelaal. Prayers are offered to Lord Jhulelaal and the festival is celebrated by making delicacies. However, this is not the universal new year for all Hindus. For some, such as those in and near Gujarat, the new year festivities coincide with the five day Diwali festival. For many others, the new year falls on Vaisakhi between 13 and 15 April, according to the solar cycle part of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, and this is by far the most popular not only among Hindus of the Indian subcontinent but also among Buddhists and Hindus in many parts of southeast Asia.

It’s really fascinating on the day of Gudi Padwa to see many Gudis arrangements in the windows and doors of Maharashtrian and Konkani households. The Gudi is a bright colorful silk scarf-like cloth tied to the top of a long bamboo pole. On the top of the pole, one or more boughs of neem leaves and mango leaves are attached along with a garland of flowers. This arrangement is capped with a silver, bronze or copper pot called handi or kalash in Marathi signifying victory or achievement. The whole arrangement is hoisted outside each household, typically to the right and is visible to everybody. Villages or neighborhoods also come together and host a community Gudi Kavad, which they carry together to the local Shiva temple. Some temples are located on the top of hills, and groups work together to help reach the kavad to the top.

There are many historical legends and beliefs associated with this festival. One of these comes from the Brahma Purana which states that Lord Brahma recreated the world after a raging deluge in which all time had stopped and all the people of the world, destroyed. On Gudi Padva, time restarted and from this day on, the era of truth and justice, known as Satyug began. Therefore, Lord Brahma is worshipped on this day and the Gudi symbolises the Brahmadhvaj.

Another popular legend about the origin of this festival revolves around the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya along with his wife Sita and his brother Laxman from exile. The ‘Brahmadhvaj’ is hoisted in memory of the coronation of Lord Rama. The Gudi is hoisted at the entrance of the household in commemoration of the Gudi that was hoisted in Ayodhya as a victory flag. It is also believed that Lord Rama was victorious over King Bali on this day, marking this occasion.

For the people of Mahrashtra, there is an added significance to this festival. It is believed that Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, celebrated leader of the Maratha clan, led the troops to victory and attained freedom for the kingdom from the dominion of the Mughals in that area. The Gudi then is a symbol of victory and prosperity.

It also symbolizes the victory of King Shalivahana and was hoisted by his people when he returned to Paithan (near current day Aurangabad).

The Gudi is believed to ward off evil, invite prosperity and good luck into the house. Many businessmen inaugurate their ventures on this day as it is considered an auspicious day.

On this day, courtyards in village houses will be swept clean and plastered with fresh cow-dung. Even in urban areas, even if they don’t do it everyday, on this day people take the time out to do some spring cleaning and women work on intricate rangoli designs on their doorsteps, the vibrant colours mirroring the burst of colour associated with spring. Everyone dresses up in new clothes and it is a time for family gatherings. Traditionally, families prepare a special dish that mixes various flavors, particularly the bitter leaves of the neem tree and sweet jaggery. Additional ingredients include sour tamarind and astringent dhane seeds. Most communities prepare something similar which is a reminder of life’s sweet and bitter experiences, as well as a belief that the neem-based mixture has health benefits.

Here’s wishing all those celebrating Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Cheti Chand and Yugadi a very happy new year and to enjoy your celebrations and the yummy food that follows!

Memories and Such

Memories of a very ordinary life

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