Thiruvathira the festival of women in Kerala, Thiruvathira Puzhukku.

Thiruvathira is the festival of women for the women folk  of Kerala .   On this day women stay awake in the whole night .  For this reason they jointly  perform Thiruvathira Kali  in the houses along with friends and relatives.   Thiruvathira is celebrated   in the day of Thiruvathira  in  Malayalam month of Dhanu, This year this is on 8^th January 2012.

Thiruvathira is celebrated as the birthday of Siva.  There are many other stories regarding the origin of this festival.  It is said to be the day on which Lord Shiva agreed to become the husband of Goddess Parvathi, as a reward for the severe penance.  An observance called ‘Thiruvathira Noyambu’ is kept by women on this auspicious day, with the prayer to get good husband- of course the married ones pray for well being of their husbands.  Thiruvathira  is also celebrated in commemoration of the death of Kamadevan, representing the annihilation of the vices and the passionate thoughts by keeping the mind stable.  Kamadevan was burnt alive by the opening of the third eye of Lord Siva,one of the members of the Divine Trinity. 

The festivities start very early in the morning  when every female member of the family takes bath in the pond and very often girls from the neighborhood assemble to make it a group affair. After the elaborate bathing ritual comprising of singing and splashing of water, they deck themselves up in the traditional dresses, darken their eyes with home made kajal and chew betel leaves to redden their lips. Huge swings will be put up for the women to enjoy. 

On Thiruvaathira, the women folk abstain from taking rice and for the lunch a delicious  arrow-root powder  porridge or fruits are served. The women spend the whole  night singing and dancing. Kaikottikkali is an exceptional dance form that is associated with this festival in which a group of women attired in traditional dresses dance in a circle around a lighted brass lamp.

At night, women eat eight different tubers roasted in the fire, which is known as Ettangadi chuduka’ . The night long music and dance is interspersed with a ceremony called "Patirappoo choodal" which means wearing of flowers in the midnight , after which, the dance and music continue till sunrise. The festivities conclude with an early morning bath and prayer at the nearby temple.

Thiruvathira Feast will be prepared and served in all homes. The main preparation on the day is the ‘Thiruvathira puzhukku’. 

 Recipe Thiruvathira Puzhukku 

Tapioca  - 1 cup (cubed),Taro(Chembu)  - 1 cup (cubed ),Sweet Potato - 1 cup (cubed ), Plantain  - 1 (cubed),  Kachil    - 1 Cup, Koorkka   -1 Cup,  Van payar – 1 Cup, Coconut  -  (grated ),Green chilly  - ,  Cumin seeds  - ,Salt  -  to  taste.  Curry leaves  - ,  Turmeric  -,   Coconut oil  - . 

Method

1.Boil Tapioca  Kachil Koorka  payar and Taro, keep aside.

Place a pan on flame add coconut oil, add chilly, cumin seed, crrry leaves, turmeric and salt cook for one minute in low flame, add coconut grated mix thoroughly and later add the items 1 cook for 5 minutes. 

 Thiruvathira, Thiruvathira puzhukku, Thiruvathira kali, Thiruvathira feast, Thiruvathira kuli, Thiurvathira pattukal, Poothiruvathira, Pathirappoochoodal, Kaikottikkali, Unjalattam, Thiruvathira noyambu.
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