HAPPY SANKRANTHI

Happy Sankranti, to you all,dear friends.This time I have to post without any pictures because the goodies got over before I could even take a picture :).I had prepared Pulihora(Tamarind rice),Bobbatlu(Puranpoli), and Poha laddoo.

We had a small function to celebrate Bhogipallu for my daughter Ananya.All the ladies(My friends here) and their kids came home in the evening.I lit the lamp in front of the Altar.Then I mixed up some soaked black chana,purple grapes,flowers,and copper coins(1 p coins here are made of copper).Then I sprinkled this mixture 3 times over each kid's head.We then put Akshintalu(Rice mixed with turmeric and used to bless younger people)on them and did the Arati .The kids really loved it and after the function,they continued playing,pouring this mixture over their heads again and again, and giggling all the while.One of my friends also celebrated this function at her house for her 1.5 yr old daughter.We all went to her house.

My daughter definitely enjoyed all the attention given to her specially.We bought a new frock for her, and she was ready to be adorned with bangles,and my pearl chain.She sat like a very good girl all the while when we were pouring the bhogipallu over her head and also when we were giving her the Arati.

This function is for young children and is done to remove the "Evil Eye" as it is said that kids attract the evil eye more than others.Traditionally,small grape sized fruits called REGIPALLU in Telugu, are used.In hindi,these are called BER and in Bengali,they are called KUL.In Orissa,these are found extensively and used to make pickle which is very tasty and can be eaten by itself.Since these are hard to find in countries outside India,we use either cherries,grapes or other berries like blueberries,etc.I had to refrain from using blueberries though,because it leaves a very ugly stain on clothes and carpets and with kids jumping up and down,this seemed a very real possibility.After the function,these fruits and flowers along with the coins are given to the domestic servants working in the household.Since they are used to remove the evil eye,it is said that these should not be consumed by the family or the child for whom they have been used.

Swapna has a very good article on her blog about this function.You can find the article HERE.

Hope you all had a nice time with your family too.

Correction:The Bengali name of BER is KUL as my friend and fellow blogger Sandeepa pointed out,so I have edited my post too.Thank you Sandeepa!