Festivals in Kerala showcase religious traditions of the state, each having a remarkable significance. The festivals enable the local people and those coming from different parts of the country to participate in them, offering an amazing opportunity to socialize and represent their traditional art forms that are a crucial part of the uniqueness of the state. The conventional rituals of the festivals are followed and the streets of the state are filled with vibrant dance and music performances. It is the perfect time to experience the true culture and uniqueness of the lively state of Kerala. The festival of Thiruvathira holds a major significance in Kerala. Celebrated in the Malayalam month of Dhanu, that is, December and January, Thiruvathira is a seven day long festival mainly for women. According to the traditions, the festival is known to be celebrated to commemorate the death of Kamadeva, the Hindu God of love. It is believed that Kamadeva was reduced to ashes by Lord Shiva’s third eye. On the day of Kamadeva’s death, Goddess Parvati had met Lord Shiva after a long self-punishment and Lord Shiva accepted her as a saha-dharma chaarini, meaning “equal partner”. Both Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati present this ideal to followers in the figure of Ardha-Nareeshawara, which means “half male and half female”. As Thiruvathira is one of the popular festivals of the state of Kerala, it is celebrated with immense pomp and vigor. Almost a week before the actual celebration of the festival the females, especially those belonging to Nair community take bath in a neighboring pond. Plunging themselves into the cold water, one of the ladies begins to sing a traditional song, mainly concerning the cupid, and is followed by other women. Plenty of songs are sung by the ladies while they continue to bathe in the pond. After taking a dip in the pond, the females come back home and dress themselves in the most impressive and neatest attires. The ladies and young girls then proceed ahead to savor another significant item of the festival of Thituvathira which is the Oonjal, known as swing in English. A giant bamboo piece is cut from the root side while the other end is left untouched. The bamboo stick is then tied to a strong rope and is hung to a tree for making it swing. The women take pleasure in swinging forward and backward, chatting with other ladies and singing songs. On one hand while the unmarried girls keep partial fast in order to get good husbands, married women observe fast from the preceding day, known as Makayiram Nakshatra, continuing it on the day of Thiruvathira for the happiness and welfare of their husbands and family. The first festival of Thiruvathira for any married woman in Kerala is regarded as her Poothiruvathira. On one hand while the unmarried girls keep partial fast in order to get good husbands, married women observe fast from the preceding day, known as Makayiram Nakshatra, continuing it on the day of Thiruvathira for the happiness and welfare of their husbands and family. The first festival of Thiruvathira for any married woman in Kerala is regarded as her Poothiruvathira. People observing fast are essentially abstained from food made of rice. The traditional cuisines for this auspicious occasion include cooked wheat and Thiruvathira Puzhukku, a delicious mix of tuber vegetables such as yam, colocasia, Chinese potato, long beans, sweet potato and raw plantain fruit. All this is cooked with the paste of finely ground coconut. Koova Payasam serves as the dessert which is made of coconut milk and jaggery. The whole night of the festivity is spent dancing and singing. Thiruvathirakali, also referred to as Kaikottikali is a dance form that is specifically performed only by the women to acquire eternal marital ecstasy. The dance is a commemoration of marital devotion. This is something that brought Kamadeva back to life after he was destroyed in the blazing fire by Lord Shiva. Dancing to the rhythm of melodious songs, which are sung by the leader of the group and are followed by other women, the ladies look divine, dressed in traditional outfit, consisting of dhoti and an upper piece of clothing. Apart from a plenty of songs sung specially as Thiruvathira songs, well-renowned Kathakali songs are also sung by the women. youtu.be/nvkc71LDTC4
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 05:51:06 +0000
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