January 17, 2007

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!

16 comments:

FH said...

Good info and Sankranthi menu.
You have got to get the family away from the food until you get those photos!I threaten allof them "don't you dare touch that until I am done!" :D:D
Have fun.

Vini K said...

I agree with you Asha..have to get the family away first until I get my photos..well,this exerience will never be forgotten..I will remember to atleast save a portion for the photos..:D

swapna susarla said...

hi vini
great info.thanks for showing my link in ur blog.
i have missed aneena's bogipallu.
i have celebrated this function for vaishu with STRAW BERRIES.tell this to all of our friends.send me some pictures of aneena. nad the function.i have told u before only na..to take the picture first...:-))

Nidhi said...

Hey Vini,
Your Post is very interesting, specially the part when you dressed your daughter and did the aarti. She must be very happy... very interesting tradition. Good to know about BER ka Achaar...Very nice post, Vini.
Happy Sankranti to you and your family as well.
Nidhi.

TNL said...

Thanks for the info...it's so nice to read about other traditions that I am not used to...

Trupti

Anonymous said...

Great post my dear friend...always a delight reading about regional customes...you know...its a common practice to get rid of the evil eye...my mum even perform the ritual with me and I can assure you I am not a little chap any more but in my mother's eye I am...~smile~...now even Jyostna performes it on me and our children......~smile~...

Viji said...

Nice to read this Vini. It is always a memorable thing to celebrate festival with our kids. Viji

Sia said...

very interesting write up vini. enjoyed reading it. although we r neigboours(AP and karnataka) there r so many customs i am unaware of...
cheers

Vini K said...

Hi Swapna..I know I should have kept your advice in mind!:)

Hi Nidhi,Thank you dear.oh yes she absolutely loved it.This time if I can get ber when I go to India,I am planning to make achaar and post it here.I learned making it in my homescience class in 11th.Hope I will be able to put that to use!:)

Hi Trupti,isn't it amazing how many differences in customs there are even though we all belong to the same nation?I love reading about customs and rituals of other states too!:)

Hello Dilip Bhai,thank you.I bet children will always be children for parents.We are now in our 30s and our father still treats us like babies!And I still remember my naani(Maternal grandma),jaise hee hum summer holidays ke liye unke town pahunchte they,woh hamari nazar utaar deti thi..even now when I go to my mausi's house,she does the same.I guess it is always going to remain a favourite ritual of parents..good that you have Jyotsna ji to remove evil eye from you too!:)

Hi Viji,thank you dear.with kids,everything becomes much more lively,isn't it?:)

Hi Supriya,yes,even though we are neighbours,there ar emany many differences..I would love to know more about kannada culture as also other cultures too.:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Vini,

Thanks for sharing about Bhogipallu function of your daughter. It brought back memories of my daughter Indu's Bhogipallu function.
Now my daughter is in 6th grade. My God Time flew soooo fast. Enjoy every moment with your daughter. Before you realize she will go to schools and college.

Next time take photos immediately after you prepare food so that you can put them in your blog and all of us can see them.

Wishing you all the best

Sarada (U.S.A.)

Anonymous said...

Lovely post Vini!!! :) When staying away from the traditions in India, its important to introduce them to kids. Your daughter will learn about it all!!! :)

www.mykhazanaofrecipes.wordpress.com

Bong Mom said...

Hey Vini, nice reading about the function for Ananya, we don't have any such tradition, but would love to visit one :)
And BER is called "KUL" in Bengali and not KOLI :)

Lots of hugs & kissies for Ananya

Anonymous said...

Hi Vini, really enjoyed reading this... sounds like such a lovely event! Thanks for sharing it :)

Anonymous said...

Looks like you had loads of fun dear. Reading your post made me so happy. I have never seen this function but I could picture it in my head :).

Pooja said...

Something new i come to know about your tradition by your post here.
thanks for sharing it.
i can imagine your daughter sitting in a new frock quiet and cool ! :)
-Pooja

Sia said...

where r u vini?