Happy Pillayar Chathurthi to everyone! Incidentally, it's
Happy Birthday Chennai too! Yes, Madras/Chennai turns 370 years old today but I am not going to ramble about the city's statistics in this post. This post is just a synopsis of my festival-ridden vacation month here in Chennai. It never struck me when I was young that all these festivals occurred pretty close to one another or maybe I didn't care because of all the holidays we got starting with Varalakshmi
Nombu, followed by
Avani Avittam (which occurs in
Aadi, by the way),
Gokulashtami and culminated by
Ganesh Chathurthi... It's only after growing up a bit (or maybe it has something to do with marriage) that I've realized that apparently
Aadi (the tamil month corresponding to mid-July to mid-August and is probably called something else in each of your respective linguistics) is inauspicious for conducting any major "good" function like weddings or grahapraveshams or the likes of it. And because we Indians (read Tamilians if you will) are a well-renowned lot of foodies,
Aadi got ridden with all these festivals during which the pious junta make all the goodies from
kozhakkattais (
modaks) to
vadais to what not.. Ah yummy.. As they say, we only need an excuse to eat.. and devotion is as good as any other reason. If you can't go to weddings for a plateful of food, make it a festival to invoke your own devotion. Do the
neiveidyam (the practice of offering the food to God first) during which you think you're pleasing the poor Gods (who obviously don't eat anything) and then feed yourself. Foodies rule! Happy Eating!
PS: This post is in jest and not meant to hurt anyone's religious sentiments.
Happy Pillayar Chathurthi to everyone! Incidentally, it's Happy Birthday Chennai too! Yes, Madras/Chennai turns 370 years old today but I am not going to ramble about the city's statistics in this post. This post is just a synopsis of my festival-ridden vacation month here in Chennai. It never struck me when I was young that all these festivals occurred pretty close to one another or maybe I didn't care because of all the holidays we got starting with Varalakshmi Nombu, followed by Avani Avittam (which occurs in Aadi, by the way), Gokulashtami and culminated by Ganesh Chathurthi... It's only after growing up a bit (or maybe it has something to do with marriage) that I've realized that apparently Aadi (the tamil month corresponding to mid-July to mid-August and is probably called something else in each of your respective linguistics) is inauspicious for conducting any major "good" function like weddings or grahapraveshams or the likes of it. And because we Indians (read Tamilians if you will) are a well-renowned lot of foodies, Aadi got ridden with all these festivals during which the pious junta make all the goodies from kozhakkattais (modaks) to vadais to what not.. Ah yummy.. As they say, we only need an excuse to eat.. and devotion is as good as any other reason. If you can't go to weddings for a plateful of food, make it a festival to invoke your own devotion. Do the neiveidyam (the practice of offering the food to God first) during which you think you're pleasing the poor Gods (who obviously don't eat anything) and then feed yourself. Foodies rule! Happy Eating!
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12 comments:
Beautiful Ganesha J.. Happy Vinayagar Chaturthi to you too.. And good 1 on the whole eating thing.. now that you mention it, sounds truer than before!
Yummy kozhakatais! Slurp slurp!
Beautiful Pillayar, jaya. Love the kozhakatais too.. did you help make them?
Very non-Southie looking Ganpati, I might add. Looks grand!
Ha ha ha. I had to laugh at the whole "making an excuse" thing that you've tactfully referred to in this post. Like Krish said, I'd never have thought of it on my own.. but it does seem as good as any reason to go out bingeing. Lol. Great post. Happy Ganesha day to you too!
BTW, your profile pic is totally awesome. :-)
Krish-> Thanks man... yeah, I was discussing this whole thing with my folks.. and then the obvious followed - the blog!
Meghana, Radhika, Gandalf -> Thanks a bunch guys. thank for visiting and commenting n come back, all of you!
Googler-> tell me about it... don't have a reason to eat? Create one! Lol. Thanks for the comments and the compliment on the profile pic of course! :D Keep visiting!
Happy Ganesh Chathurthi once more!!
Well, that was a thoughtful post, I would say. In fact I just realized that Aadi indeed has so many festivities - or is it just one of year, that all festivals fell into the Aadi bucket, as the stars are racing in the time track.
Avani avittam - i am still intrigued by its name - why not aadi avittam?
One more, for me ..err. I mean my family did not celebrate Gokulashtami - reason - the sri rangam calendar - plots the stars from a different angle..so it falls in the month of september. What a city .. i meant diver-sity ;)
Nice Ganesha - especially the errukam poo malai - used only at this time - adds a special touch to the already lovely Pillaiyar with while nail polish !
BTW, why Ganesh is gazing upwards - is he also waiting for the rains? lol..
Shant-> No.. it's not just this year.. every Aadi is clumped with all this megalomania in an attempt to p[lease the Gods.. But look at this year.. the Indian people lost 2 holidays - the Independence Day falling on a Saturday and the Ganesh Chathurthi on a Sunday. Besides this year is still not done.. 20 days to go for the start of Navaratri and Diwali follows in just 20 days. Everything's ahead of the usual schedule! Thanks once again for the long n thoughtful comment and keep visiting!
BTW, let's hope Pillayar's own prayers are answered :D
it is really bad of you to put up pictures of kollukattai in this blog....u should atleast give a considerate thought on us poor souls who have little access to these food stuffs...blame ur photography :((
Balaji-> Hehehe... this it just to encourage all of you to try and make everything or atleast try. :). Bon Appetit and Happy Ganesh Chathurthi :)
really mind bloging foto of ganesh i my self have seen him with real eyes but he looks fantastic in the foto u also have the skill to capture good fotos keep it up
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